o.sweet

Homemade& Handmade Udon

Round two of Noodle-Making! In case you didn’t see it, I tried making another Japanese noodle a few months ago. That was a very difficult process and involved several attempts, none of which were entirely successful. These lovely Udon Noodles, on the other hand, were much easier and turned out well. And, as the recipe instructs, you do most of the kneading by stomping on the dough! How fun is that? It actually got a little… not-so-interesting after a while, but that’s okay. The noodles turned out fine, quite well actually, and they didn’t take an extraordinary amount of work. They do need some time to rest though, so I would suggest making them maybe half a day in advance. Start them in the morning and have them for lunch or dinner? Or keep the dough in the fridge for a few days or the freezer until you need it.

Also, this was partially an experiment for me. Traditional Udon is made with a higher-gluten Udon Flour. This original recipe actually calls for something like 1/3 All-Purpose flour and 2/3 Bread Flour (higher gluten). However, because I did not have Bread Flour and I didn’t really want to buy a whole bag, I decided to try it with all All-Purpose. I was a little worried that they wouldn’t be “chewy” like Udon noodles tend to be described as. Especially with the difficulty with the Soba noodles – they were nearly impossible to get “chewy!” Because buckwheat flour is gluten-free, it didn’t bind very well, and the first few attempts landed me with irritatingly mushy noodles. Sucked. But these ones turned out well. My little sister liked them, and my mom said that they were “delicious.” Success.

Homemade Udon Noodles

Adapted from Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking via lafujimama

4 teaspoons Salt

1 cup Warm Water

3 1/4 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour

Additional Flour, for dusting

Add the Salt to the Water and stir until it has dissolved. Put the Flour in a large bowl.

Pour the salty water into the bowl with the flour. Using your hands, mix the flour and water together until a dough begins to form. Pull the dough up from the bottom of the bowl and press down, repeating until a rough ball is formed. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it forcefully on a board, floured f necessary, for 5-10 minutes until the dough has smoothed out.

Transfer the dough to a large plastic ziploc bag, push out as much air as possible, and then wrap the bag in a thick towel or cloth. Put it on the floor and walk/ stomp on it with both feet. Turn as you walk, so that all the dough is evenly flattened. When the dough feels flat, remove the dough from the bag and roll it out on the board. Then fold it up and put it back into the bag and repeat the stomping and rolling process. The should become more and more smooth with each repeat. Repeat 3 or 4 times. On the last repeat, leave the dough in the bag, wrapped in the towel, and let it rest for 3 to 4 hours (during the winter, leave it in a warm place). When the dough is done resting, take it out of the bag, reshape it into a ball, then return it to the bag and walk on it one last time. Try to spread the dough with your feet, turning around 360 degrees.

Dust your work surface with a bit of flour, then place the flattened dough on top and roll it out, working from the middle out. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, flip and repeat until the dough is about 1/8-inch thick and a rectangle.*

Dust the dough with bread flour and then fold it into thirds. Using a long sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thick ribbons. If the dough gets very sticky, dust it again with bread flour. Dust the noodles with bread flour before moving them from the work surface.

To cook the noodles, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Lightly shake any excess flour from the noodles and add them to the boiling water. Using wooden chopsticks or a wooden spoon, stir the noodles to prevent them from sticking to each other. Cook the noodles for 6 to 7 minutes, or until they are translucent and cooked through. Drain the noodles in a sieve and rinse under cold running water so they cool rapidly.

Once the noodles are cool enough to handle, rinse them again in cold water to make sure that all of the starch is removed.

*Rolled out dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. Bring the dough to room temperature before sprinkling it with flour and continuing on with the next steps.

Food, Lunch&Dinner, Other, Savory

February 10, 2012

Ham Croquettas

Here’s another croquetta recipe. Much less time consuming than Rosa’s Croquettas, but very tasty. It’s a great way to use up leftover ham, and I think that this one works well for breakfast.

Ham Croquettas

1/2 lb Cooked Ham, chopped fine

2 tbsp Flour

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup Milk

Black Pepper, to taste

1 or more Eggs, beaten

Bread Crumbs for coating

Oil for frying

In a saucepan, make a roux of the Flour and Olive Oil: Heat the Oil in the pan and add the Flour, stirring and making sure that the flour does not burn. Slowly add the Milk while stirring, making sure that there are no lumps of flour. Continue to cook for a minute or so, you want the mixture to have the consistency of a thick chowder. Mix in the Black Pepper. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Once cooled, add the sauce to the Minced Ham, only a few tablespoons at a time, until the ham holds together well enough to shape. You may not need all of the sauce.

Form the Croquettas: with one or two spoons, make the shape of the Croquetta with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ham mixture. Then coat with the Beaten Eggs and then with the Bread Crumbs. Set aside on a plate, and repeat until all of the mixture is used.

To cook the Croquettas, generously coat a pan in Oil. When the oil is heated, add the Croquettas and cook for a minute or so on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer them carefully to drain on paper towels before serving.

Breakfast&Brunch, Food, Homecooking, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Snacks

February 5, 2012

Rosa’s Croquettas

A couple of years ago I spent a month in Barcelona studying spanish. It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful! I’d love to go back, and I plan on it, once I have the time and the money for a plane ticket… Anyways, while I was there, I was staying with my Aunt’s mother-in-law, Rosa. She’s a super-cool Spanish woman – kind, funny, stylish, an artist… not to mention a wonderful cook! She didn’t show it, but I must have gotten a little annoying hovering over her in her tiny kitchen, trying to memorize everything she was doing. I would watch her cook, then run over to my room to write down what she was doing, then back to the kitchen so I wouldn’t miss the next steps. My notes are… helpful, but definitely express my flustered state. Here’s my attempt at one of Rosa’s specialties, Croquettas.

You may already be familiar with Tapas, but I will explain what they are anyways. I honestly am not extremely familiar with them, so I apologize if my description is a little off. To my understanding, Tapas are little dishes that are served in Spain, often times with drinks, but also can be just as a snack. Simple marinated olives are common and often complimentary in bars, but tapas dishes range from Potatoes with Sauce to Fish Salads to much more complicated things that do not come to mind at the moment. These Croquettas are a wonderful Tapa; lightly fried and crispy on the outside while soft on the inside. This recipe makes a pretty large amount, so you can freeze them after breading and save them for a light dinner with salad. Or use them as an easy appetizer when you have company over. Or not save any at all and eat them all at once. It’s up to you. I don’t judge.

Rosa’s Croquettas

3 lb Chicken, quartered, or Chicken Pieces

1 to 2 lb Beef, some tender cut unless you want to cook it for hours

2 Large Tomatoes, quartered

2 Sweet Onions, quartered

2 to 4 Bay Leaves

4 to 6 Garlic Cloves, smashed

White Wine, or substitute*

3 tbsp Flour

3 tbsp Olive Oil

About 1 cup Milk

Salt and Pepper, to taste

3 Eggs, Beaten

Breadcrumbs

First, cook the meat for the Croquettas: You will need two pots, one for the Chicken and one for the Beef. In each pot, over high heat, heat enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the Meat and let it cook on one side for 30 sec. to a minute before flipping and repeating on the other side. Remove from heat and add to each pot: 1 Quartered Tomato, 1 Quartered Onion, 1 to 2 Bay Leaves, 2 to 3 Garlic Cloves, and Salt and Pepper to taste. Return both pots to low heat. Once some liquid has formed on the bottom of the pots, add a generous splash of Wine. Return to a simmer and cover over low heat, until the Meat is cooked through and tender (for the Chicken, this will probably take 30 to 45 minutes. Depending on the Beef you use, it could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours). Shake the pot occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.

While the meat is cooking, make the Béchamel Sauce: In a saucepan, make a roux of the Flour and Olive Oil: Heat the Oil in the pan and add the Flour, stirring and making sure that the flour does not burn. Slowly add the Milk while stirring, making sure that there are no lumps of flour. Continue to cook for a minute or so, you want the mixture to have the consistency of a thick chowder. Mix in the Black Pepper, and Salt if you would like. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Once the Meat is cooked, remove the meat and onions from the pot and transfer to a bowl to cool. You may keep the sauce for a later use, or discard. It will not be needed in making these Croquettas. Once cooled, remove the Chicken meat from the bones and discard the bones. In a blender or food processor, puree the beef, chicken, and onions together.

Form the Croquettas: with one or two spoons, make the shape of the Croquetta with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Then coat with the Beaten Eggs and then with the Bread Crumbs. Set aside on a plate, and repeat until all of the mixture is used. At this point, you can freeze them if you’d like.

Food, Homecooking, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Snacks

January 21, 2012

Polish Mushroom Soup

I love mushrooms. I think I always have, although that’s probably not true because – believe it or not – I was once a very picky eater. I remember the days when my favored and most often consumed meal was hot water mixed with rice and I was unwilling to try anything else to go along with it.

Oh, the far-away days of young childhood. Sliding down the stairs on pillows, concocting “delicious dog food” with my cousin… tricking the neighbor into trying such experimets… the good old days.

But I’ve come so far, especially in terms of what I’ll eat. And what wonderful things I’ve discovered! Like mushrooms (although the more I think about it, the more I’m certain that I’ve always loved mushrooms). Mushrooms are great – I don’t remember ever eating them in something that I don’t like*, and this soup is no exception. In fact, this soup is fantastic! I made it with my grandpa, Jaja, in yet another Polish-cooking trial. Lemme tell ya, them Poles know how to eat.

*Although admittedly I actually don’t really care for them too much raw. EAK loves them that way though. Once I showed up at her house to find her laying on her front lawn poppin mushrooms straight from the little blue styrofoam container like they were somethin else

Little Mushroom Pierogi. I still prefer them pan-fried, but they were tasty in the soup too. Unfortunately these were not homemade, but that doesn’t meant that they won’t be in the future.

Polish Mushroom Soup

5 to 6 Ounces Dried Mushrooms, such as Polish Borowik or Cépes

12 Large Shiitake Mushrooms

3 Quarts Beef Stock, preferably homemade

5 Medium Ribs of Celery, chopped

2 Large Onions, sliced

5 Carrots, chopped

1 Pound Small Portabella Mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

1 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Parsley, finely chopped

2 Tbsp Dill, finely chopped

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 Cup Orzo or other pasta (or mini mushroom Pierogi)

Rinse the Dried Mushrooms. Place them in 2 Cups cold water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. Strain the dried mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid.

Sauté the Celery, Onions, and Carrots in a little butter until soft. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring the Beef Stock to a simmer ad add the cooked vegetables. Add the strained mushroom soaking liquid to the pot. Chop the hydrated mushrooms into 1/4 inch pieces slightly larger than the cooked vegetables and add them to the pot along with the sliced Fresh Portabellas.

Cover and cook the soup about an hour. Bring the soup to a boil and add the Pasta, stirring constantly (if using Pierogi, you may cook them ahead of time and set them aside, skipping this pasta cooking step). Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, make a roux. Melt the 2 Tbsp Butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the Flour and cook, stirring constantly until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the broth from the pot and add to the roux, whisking constantly until slightly thickened and free of lumps. Stir the thickened liquid into the soup. Add the Parsley and Dill to the pot as well.

Finish the soup with the Sour Cream: First, add 1/4 cup thickened soup to the sour cream. Whisk until smooth, then add the sour cream to the soup, whisking constantly until it is well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with the Salt and Pepper.

Food, Homecooking, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Soup&Stew

January 15, 2012

08/25/2010

08/25/2010

Medium: Pastel on Paper

Okay! I drew this. I’ve been looking through my drafts and I found this. I was hesitant about posting it – or anything I’ve done, for that matter – because I was thinking, “what if it sucks? what if people notice it sucks? what will I do then?!” Well, what does it matter. Some people will think it sucks, some people won’t. That’s just the way it will always be. As for me, I like it.

Art

January 11, 2012

SPAM& Pineapple Fried Rice

Hooray! Finally. I have been wanting to make this fried rice since the summertime. I was planning on doing it in college, but as I think I have mentioned in previous posts, college is busy. I have things to study, friends to make, and sleep to catch up on. And on top of that, I have a meal plan that I was required to purchase that involves $10 meals. Ten dollars? Are you kidding me? What if I just want some soup and crackers? That’s some $10 soup and crackers. And if I miss a meal? That’s a $10 value, already paid for, that I missed. So I can’t afford to miss a meal. No sir, I won’t be saving money by making my own food (at least until I live off campus), I’ll be wasting it.

Well anyways, I finally got around to doing it. It needs some improvement, sure. It was a first-try, experiment. Didn’t turn out bad though, although the best part was the SPAM. I really like SPAM, I think it is absolutely delicious. Is it just a “West Coast thing?” Or an Asian thing? Who knows. One thing’s for sure, you can expect more SPAM related posts in the future, hopefully sooner than later.

And a note on the fried rice in its current state. I think that maybe next time I won’t cook the Pineapple as long, if at all. And I probably won’t cook it with the SPAM if I do cook it, as it kind of took on a taste of the SPAM, which I didn’t really care for… I think it’s best if the Pineapple tastes like pineapple and the SPAM tastes like itself. Also as I mention below, I haven’t found out an “ideal ratio” of seasonings yet, I’ll let you know when I do. However, I would try next time adding some sugar to the Pineapple Juice + Soy Sauce instead of at the end, and seasoning it with Soy Sauce and Salt, if needed later.

SPAM& Pineapple Fried Rice

Oil

1 Can SPAM, chopped

4 to 5 Eggs, beaten

1/3 cup Pineapple Juice

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

4 slices Ginger

1 clove Garlic

2 to 3 cups Fresh Pineapple, chopped

About 5 to 6 cups Cooked Rice

1 cup Green Peas, cooked

4 to 6 Green Onions, sliced

For Seasoning

Soy Sauce

Fish Sauce

Sugar or Agave

Sesame Oil

Salt

Lightly coat a pan in a little Oil and fry the chopped SPAM until slightly browned. Remove the SPAM and set aside. Add the Beaten Egg and allow it to cook, without scrambling (you can add a little Salt to the egg now if you would like). Once cooked, remove the egg and set aside.

Add the Pineapple Juice, 2 tbsp Soy Sauce, Ginger, and Garlic to the pan. Allow this to reduce for several minutes, then add the SPAM. Stir to coat the pieces evenly. Add the Pineapple pieces* and cook for several minutes (the original idea was to glaze the SPAM and carmelize the Pineapple, but I don’t think that the carmelization really worked). Remove from pan and set aside, discarding ginger slices and garlic.

Coat a large pan or wok with oil. Add the Cooked Rice, breaking up any chunks. Add the SPAM, pineapple, cooked egg, and Green Peas. Mix to combine thoroughly and break up the egg pieces, and making sure that the rice does not burn. Add the Green Onion, as well as the Seasonings (all or some) to taste**. If you would like, you can mix in some more fresh Pineapple now too.

*You can also choose not to cook the Pineapple pieces here, and simply add all or some of them at the end when you mix in the SPAM, peas, etc.

**Sorry about this “to taste” business. I haven’t found a specific magical ratio yet, but I’ll update when I do.

Food, Homecooking, Lunch&Dinner, Savory

January 11, 2012

4 Comments

Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings

The second, very tasty, of the two New Year’s Eve Pu Pus. I’ve included a picture of the cooking sauce in this one. Feel free to bask in its Hipstamatic-ed out glory.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings

From Oryori Two

2 lbs Chicken Wings

1 cup Cornstarch

Seasoned Salt

Garlic Salt

3 Eggs, beaten

3/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Water

1 tsp. MSG (I omitted this)

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Pineapple Juice

1/4 cup Vinegar

3 tbsp. Catsup

Disjoint the Chicken Wings in half and shake in bowl with the Cornstarch, Seasoned Salt, and Garlic Salt. Then dip into the beaten Eggs and deep fry until golden brown.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the Chicken is frying, combine all remaining ingredients and cook on the stove until the sugar is dissolved.

Arrange the fried wings in a baking pan and pour the Sauce over them. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Turn the wings over and bake another 15 minutes. Serve.

Food, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Snacks, Sweet

January 3, 2012

One-Bite “Hiki-Niku Age”

For New Years Eve, we began our Pu Pu making with two recipes from an “Old Church Lady Book,” as someone put it (please don’t take offense, Church Ladies). I love this book, I found it in my Grandma’s kitchen. There is a second one, but she doesn’t have it… but who knows, I may pick it up off Amazon someday.

Anyways, the first of these two are little Japanese Meatballs, “Hiki-Niku Age” apparently. I have no idea what that actually means so let’s hope it means little meatballs! Here [is] ~~are some pictures taken with my phone (sorry for the quality, but how good can phone pictures with no natural light be?) and~~ a recipe. [I looked at the pictures again and just couldn’t bring myself to post them. Way too yellow and a bit blurry/ out-of-focus. Just imagine bite-sized meatballs with rainbow toothpicks through them on a nice plate? Great.] Enjoy ’em.

One-Bite “Hiki-Niku Age”

From Oryori Two

For the Meatballs

1 lb Ground Beef

1/4 tsp. Grated Ginder Root

1 tbsp. Soy Sauce

1 tbsp. Sake or Sherry Wine

1 tsp. Salt

2 pieces Green Onions, chopped fine

3 Shiitake Mushrooms, chopped fine

1 Egg

1 tbsp. Potato/ Corn Starch

For the Sauce

3 tbsp. Soy Sauce

3 tbsp Sugar

3 tbsp Sake or Sherry Wine

Cornstarch mixed with Water

To make the Meatballs, put all Meatball Ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Make small meatballs about 1 tbsp in size. Fry in about 6 tbsp Fat, turning carefully.

To make the Sauce, bring all Sauce Ingredients to a boil, thickening with the Cornstarch and Water mixture. Add the Meatballs to the sauce to coat and serve.

Food, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Snacks

January 3, 2012

Homemade Yogurt

Is it just me or is Greek Yogurt a bit too expensive for the average college student to be buying regularly?

Fortunately, I can now make Greek Yogurt! Fabulous. It’s super simple, the only tricky thing is getting the temperature right. And it’s so much cheaper! All you need is milk, a little sugar, a scoop of already-made yogurt, and a bit of time. Then your set. Set to have all the Greek Yogurt that you could ever want! Buah hahaha ha ha !

Please note: the image above is just plain yogurt. To make it “Greek Yogurt,” you will need to strain it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel for an hour or so, until it’s thickened.

Homemade Yogurt

4 Cups Milk (I used nonfat)

2-3 Teaspoons Sugar

1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt (I used Fage), room temp

Heat the Milk over the stove until just before boiling point (I generally let it heat until it gets a little bubbly/ foamy on top). Turn off the heat and stir in the Sugar. Let the milk cool until it is lukewarm – this may take 20-30 minutes.

While your milk is cooling, put your Yogurt Starter into the container that you are planning to make/ keep your yogurt (You may want to move this container to the space where you are going to let your yogurt set, although I don’t think that this is necessary*).

Once the milk has cooled, slowly pour the milk into the yogurt while stirring. You don’t need to super-stir, just enough to get the two mixed in with each other. Set the container somewhere warm, where it will not be disturbed (you do not want to be moving the yogurt around while it is setting), and wrap it with a blanket.

Now you just wait. The yogurt needs several hours to set. This can take anywhere from 8 hours or 18+ hours depending on the warmth of your space. Once it’s set, it will have the consistency of yogurt (although I think that usually it does set a little more in the fridge). It won’t look runny.

From this point, you can enjoy your yogurt as is, or strain it to make it a little thicker.

Breakfast&Brunch, Food, Homecooking, Other

October 24, 2011

Peas and Carrot Paratha

Is it just me or is the smell of freshly made Naan delicious? I know that this isn’t Naan (although hopefully I will be making that sometime in the future) but it smelled like it, just as good. You can eat it the same way that you would have Naan, with curries or chutneys, etc. I’ve been frying up an egg with some onions and wrapping that up in the Paratha that I’ve had left over, which makes for a pretty good breakfast or snack. They’re best hot, freshly made, and I definitely wouldn’t recommend eating them cold – they’re just not as tasty.

And I apologize for the lack of any really good pictures. I don’t really have many dishes, and the only natural light in my dorm is on top of the heater by the window! So that’s why all these pictures are super close up and on top of a paper towel. Please bear with me.

Peas and Carrot Paratha

From SharmisPassions

1 &1/2 Cups Flour

2 Large Carrots, grated

1/4 Cup Green Peas

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Onion

1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste*

Pinch Ground Turmeric

2 tsp Chili Powder*

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves*

Salt, to taste

2 Tbsp Oil, plus more as needed

*I didn’t have these ingredients, unfortunately, but they are in the original recipe and you should use them if you have them!

Cook the Peas, in a pressure cooker or pot with water, until soft. Set aside.

Heat a little oil in a pan with the Cumin seeds. Once the seeds “crackle,” add the Onions and Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté until it turns slightly brown. Add the Grated Carrots and continue to cook until they no longer smell raw, 3-5 minutes. Add the Turmeric, Chili Powder, and Garam Masala, and mix well.

Add the Cooked Peas and mix into the carrot mixture, smashing the peas a little. Add the Salt and mix. Turn off the heat and mix in the Coriander Leaves.

In a separate bowl, add the Flour, Salt, and 2 Tbsp of Oil. To this, add the cooked vegetable mixture. Slowly add water while mixing to form a smooth dough. Divide the dough into several 7-8 equal sized balls and set aside to rest for at least 15-30 minutes.

Roll out each of the balls into thin disks. Cook each side on a heated pan (or dose tawa, if you have one) for about a minute. Drizzle a little oil on each side, and serve warm, by themselves or with a curry, raita, etc.

Bread, Food, Savory

October 11, 2011

Japanese Curry over Rice

Buah haha-ha-ha! I have cooked something! I have finally cooked something in college!

I don’t know why, but for some reason I thought that I would be a crazy cooking machine. I thought that I would have all this time to cook. I thought that I would have to cook in order to survive here. Boy was I wrong. No time, no need. The homework, meal plan, and attempt to have some form of social life took care of it all. It’s sad, really. I struggle to find time on my weekends or weeknights to cook and even when I think that I can, something comes up. Sometimes it’s homework, or an activity for a class. College is so time consuming.

This curry was nice though. It doesn’t require fancy ingredients and is pretty simple to make. Just allow for an hour or so to cook plus some prep time in cutting everything up. It’s a nice comfort food, reminds me of the boxed Golden Curry that my mom buys. The only issue with this curry was that halfway through making it I realized that not everyone would appreciate the smell and that I had made the whole floor smell like it… ha. Sorry, guys. Made my night a tasty one though!

Japanese Curry

Adapted from No Recipes

For the Curry

2 tsp Oil

2 Large Onions, sliced

2 Chicken Drumsticks*

3-4 Carrots, cut thickly on diagonal

4 C Water

1 Large Potato, cut into large chunks

1 Small Apple, peeled cored and pureed or grated

Salt, to taste

1 tsp Garam Masala

2-4 Roma Tomatoes, cut into large chunks (eighths or quarters)

1/2 C Peas (I used frozen)

For the Roux

3 Tbs Butter (I subbed Oil)

1/4 C Flour

2 Tbs Curry Powder or Garam Masala

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper, or to taste (I didn’t have any but spicy curry is always nice!)

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

1 Tbs Ketchup or Tomato Paste

1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

*I only had two Chicken Drumsticks to use today. You can use a larger amount of chopped Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Tofu, etc. It’s really up to you.

Heat the Oil in a large saucepan and add the Onions. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and brown the Chicken.

Add the Carrots and Water, bringing to a boil. Skim off any foam or oil off the top. Once it has reached a boil, lower the heat and add the Potatoes, Grated Apple, Salt, and Garam Masala. Simmer until the potatoes and carrots are cooked through and the meat is tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the roux: melt the Butter or heat the Oil over medium low heat. Add the Flour and Curry Powder, stirring constantly to form a thick paste. Mix in the Cayenne and Black Pepper well. Add the Ketchup and Worcestershire Sauce, continuously stirring to combine fully. Continue to cook for several minutes until the roux begins to crumble. Set aside until the vegetables are ready.

Just before the potatoes and carrots are done, I added in the Tomato chunks and let them cook a little. Add two cups of the liquid from the Curry to the roux and stir until the mixture is smooth, a minute or two. Pour this mixture into the big pot and stir gently to combine and thicken the mixture. Add the Peas and heat them through.

Serve with cooked White Rice.

Food, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Soup&Stew

September 26, 2011

Some DC Street Art

This was on a crosswalk near Massachusetts in Dupont Circle. We saw another one by the Washington Monument, in yellow. This picture of it is upside down, but it looks like a robot, right?

I recently stopped in Washington, DC, on the way to school a little while ago. Let me tell you, I’m a big fan of DC. I’ve been there before, but the last time I went was a few years ago, and oh how I missed it! There’s plenty of good food (which is always important to me), free museums and a great zoo, and great cultural diversity. I’m in a bit of a rush right now, but I want to get these pictures up before I put it off any longer. There was great art all over the place, but these were the few that Nathan photographed. All three of these were located around Dupont Circle. If you happen to be in the city, I suggest you stop by Julia’s Empanadas and pick up a Turkey Empanada, a childhood favorite of mine.

The artist who I assume did both of these two had stuff on a lot of the streetlights and signs around Dupont Circle. They were all pretty cool. Look out for them.

Art

September 5, 2011

Anise-Orange Biscotti

Oh it feels like I haven’t posted in so long! I think it’s been at least several weeks. Or maybe it hasn’t, but it just feels like a long time because I’ve been a bit busy. Just starting college, so many to-dos struggling for priority on the list in my head! I feel like there’s something that I need to do every second, and I’m constantly thinking of a new one while simultaneously forgetting another! Oh no! Help me!

Honestly, does anyone know of how I can keep track of things? I’ve been taking notes, making lists, setting calendar reminders, everything! But I still feel like I’m forgetting something…

Anise-Orange Biscotti

Adapted from TheSkinnyGourmet

1/2 Teaspoon Anise Seeds

1 Cup& 1 Tablespoon Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

6 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Tablespoons Oil

1 Egg, lightly beaten

Zest of 1 Orange (about 1 Tablespoon)

1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

Melted Chocolate, for dipping (I recommend a bittersweet or something like that)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small skillet on the stove-top, toast the Anise Seeds until fragrant. Remove from skillet and crush the seeds (in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, etc.).

Combine the Flour and Baking Powder in a medium bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the Sugar, Orange Zest and Crushed Anise Seed. Mix well to combine and infuse the zest throughout the sugar. Add the Lightly Beaten Egg, Almond Extract, and Oil with the sugar mixture. Mix to combine.

Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Mix until well combined.

Roll the dough into a log approximately 12 inches long and place on a well seasoned baking stone or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake on the center rack until golden, about 30-35 minutes. When you gently press the top of the log, it should not give way easily, it should be somewhat firm and resistant. Remove from oven to cool for 5-7 minutes.

Cut the log on diagonal at about 1/2 inch to 1 inch intervals. Spread the cut biscotti out across the baking sheet on their edges so that there is enough space between them for air to circulate during the second baking. Return them to the oven and bake for another 12 to 16 minutes, until their sides are firm to the touch but not overly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate, either on the stovetop or in the microwave. When the biscotti is cooled, dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate (you may want to hold the cookie over the melted chocolate to let the excess drip off) and place on parchment or wax paper to dry.

September 5, 2011

Mango Mini Cakes

I don’t think that these came out at all like the original cake was supposed to. I was missing all of the alcohol, so those flavors were not present at all in the cakes. Also, I used a lot more mango pureé than the recipe called for. They turned out pretty well though, even though I think I might have left them in the oven for a little too long. They were a little crispy on the outside and moist ‘n cakey on the inside. The recipe also intended for the batter to be baked in either a regular-sized cake pan or mini brioche pans. Ill supply those baking times as well as the baking time that I used.

Mmm… mango. I had all these super-ripe mangoes. Almost too many! I was giving tons away to my family and still had a bunch left over. I wanted to use them up in a recipe, just so that they wouldn’t go to waste, but they tasted so unbelievably sweet and good fresh that it was really hard to pull the trigger on cooking them. But this recipe doesn’t call for that much mango. So I didn’t really have to make the hard decision. And they have such nice orange color, right? I think that the orange looks so nice against the green and blue. That makes sense, though. They are complementary colors, after all.

Weren’t they pretty tea cakes? I think that that’s more thanks to the pan than anything. And Erin did a great job of sprinkling the powdered sugar.

The last lonely little cake… Leaving out the alcohol must not had too negative an effect on them. Or it could have been thanks to all of the alcohol that we served along with the cakes. Oh, just kidding! It was strictly a tea party, honest.

Mango Mini Cakes

Adapted from CakeLove

Dry

2 cups& 2 Tbsp Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (11& 1/2 oz)

1 Tbsp Potato Starch (or sub. Cornstarch like I did…)

3/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper

Liquid

3/4 to 1 Cup Mango Puree*

1 Cup Sour Cream (8 oz)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Creaming

1& 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter** (6 oz), room temperature

2 Cups Sugar (21 oz)

1 Tbsp Orange Zest

5 Eggs

2 Egg Yolks

*To make Mango Puree, simply blend chopped mango in a blender or food processor.

**I think that I actually used less butter. Maybe 1& 1/4 sticks instead? Sorry, it was an estimate at the time.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set the rack in the middle of the oven, unless using several pans, in which case set the racks in the upper and lower-middle positions.

Measure out the Flour. In a separate bowl, measure out the other Dry ingredients, add the flour, and mix to blend. Set aside.

Measure the Liquid ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the Butter, Sugar, and Orange zest on the lowest speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The creamed mixture will appear a little wet. Still on the lowest speed, add the Eggs one at a time, followed by the Egg Yolks, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well mixed.

Add the Dry Ingredient Mixture alternately with the Liquid Mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, begninning and ending with the dry mixture. Move quickly through this step (about 60 seconds) so as not to overwork the batter – do not wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop the mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 20 to 30 seconds longer.

Prepare the pans: spray or grease your mini-cake or regular-bundt cake pans. Fill the pan(s) until they are 3-quarters full.

For a 12-cup bundt, bake for about 5o to 55 minutes. For the mini cake pans, I baked them for about 20 to 30 minutes. Once the top of the cake(s) doesn’t jiggle in the center, test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, with few or no crumbs attached, remove the pan from the oven and let the cake(s) cool in the pan for several minutes before unmolding. Allow to cool completely on racks, them dust with Powdered Sugar, if desired.

August 23, 2011

Jaja’s Pigs in a Blanket (Polish Style)

There are a few things that I think I could use a little more of in my life. One of those things is Polish food, and the other is mushrooms. I love both, but for some reason, I just don’t get enough of them. Once a year, if I’m lucky, I’ll get my hands on some Pierogi. And that just doesn’t seem to be enough. Does once a year seem like enough exposure to your cultural heritage? I certainly don’t think so. And mushrooms! Mushrooms are great! Why don’t I eat more of those? I’m stumped.

Well, I’m trying to do something about it, but until then, that Once a Year has come around again. I’m at my grandparents’ house, and that means a fleeting period of wonderful eats. Today we made something Polish-ish, although I’ve been told it may be more of a Chicago-Pole thing rather than a traditional-Pole cuisine. Either way, it’s good and it makes me feel like I’m getting a taste of what my ancestors grew up eating. My grandpa, Jaja, told me that my Busha (his mother, my Great-grandmother) used to make this when he was growing up. So what is “this,” exactly? Pigs in a Blanket. Meat wrapped around bacon, bread, and one delectable mushroom to round it all off. Ahh, delicious.

But let’s not pretend that these are very healthy. Is it just me, or does it seem like traditional recipes don’t take your heart into consideration? Red meat on top of fried red meat. Once a year shouldn’t hurt, though… and now that I think about it, there are a lot worse things out there nowadays. So I wouldn’t worry about it. Grab a couple Pigs, pour some gravy over those potatoes, a good hunk a bread to sop up everything left on the plate, and eat like those in the Old Country of Chicago.

Pigs

Busha’s recipe via Jaja

2 Thin Cut Round Steaks

1 Slab Bacon, cut in half (12 pieces total)

Several Slices White Bread, cut into chunks

I Basket of Button Mushrooms, thickly sliced

Beef Broth

1 Onion, sliced

Black Pepper, to taste

Cut the Steaks into twelve 1& 1/2 by 4 strips. Set aside.

Fry the Bacon in a skillet until cooked but still pliable. Set aside.

To assemble the Pigs, lay one piece of bacon along a strip of steak, followed by a piece of White Bread, and finally a slice of Mushroom. Wrap up all of the ingredients in the steak and secure with a toothpick. Continue until all the pieces of steak are used up (if you do not use up all of the mushrooms or bread, set them aside for later).

Transfer the rolled-up Pigs to a skillet and brown. Once all sides are nicely browned, add them to a large pot with the Sliced Onion and cover with Beef Broth. If you have any left over bread or mushrooms, you can add them to the pot as well. Season the Pigs in broth will Black Pepper. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower to simmer and cover for at least and hour (although you may let it simmer for several hours, if you like).

Serve the Pigs and gravy over Mashed Potatoes with some good bread. Enjoy!

Food, Homecooking, Lunch&Dinner, Savory

August 17, 2011

Daifuku with Red Bean Filling

“Okay, let’s play a game. One, two, three ! Let’s see who can fall asleep the fastest!”

That’s what my grandma just said to my little sister and cousin in the other room. A good attempt, I know I wouldn’t have though of that. It doesn’t seem to be working, though. Now I hear screaming.

“You’re tired. Close your eyes while you cry.”

A bit insensitive, maybe? That seems to have worked, though. The screaming stopped, a sign that they’re falling asleep. What a pro.

And all I can do is stand here and make sweets, hoping that that stops crying and works as a bribe if I’m stuck in a sticky situation. I have a long way to go before I reach awesome grandma status – it takes more than just spoiling and sweetness apparently.

Red Bean-filled Daifuku

From Japanesefood.about.com

1 Cup Glutinous Rice Flour

1/4 Cup Sugar

2/3 Cup Water

Tsubushi-an Filling (see below)

Corn or Potato Starch, for dusting

Microwave Method: Put the Glutinous Rice Flour in a heat-resistant bowl. Mix Water and Sugar in a small bowl and gradually pour into rice flour, stirring well.

Put the bowl in the microwave and heat the dough for about two minutes. Stir the dough. Heat the dough in microwave again until the dough inflates. Stir the mochi quickly.

Dust your hands and a flat pan or other surface generously with some of the Potato or Corn Starch. Remove the hot mochi from the bowl and transfer to the pan. The mochi will be hot and sticky, so be careful not to burn your hands. Keeping sure that your hands are well dusted with starch, divide the mochi into 12 pieces to 16. Flatten each piece into a thin disk. Put a piece of filling in the center of each flattened mochi and wrap the paste by stretching the mochi. Pinch the ends closed and round the daifuku. Repeat the process to make more pieces, keeping each piece and the surface well-dusted.

Stovetop Method (forms a softer dough): In a medium saucepan, dissolve the Sugar in the Water over low to medium-low heat. Gradually mix in the Glutinous Rice Flour with a wooden spoon, stirring continuously. Continue to stir the dough for several minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan so that the dough will not burn, for 3 to 4 minutes, until a soft, sticky dough is formed. Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with Corn or Potato Starch, and follow the directions for filling as in the microwave method above.

Tsubushi-an (Chunky Sweet Red Bean Paste)

From Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art

1 Cup (180g) Azuki Beans (red beans)

1 Cup Sugar

Pinch Salt

Wash Beans and place in a large saucepan full of water. Bring just to a boil, then drain and discard water.

Add about 3 cups water to beans in pan and simmer over medium heat, covered, until beans are very soft. Add more water when necessary to prevent dehydration, but water should be almost enturely reduced when beans are done.

Add Sugar and stir with wooden spoon or paddle over low heat. The beans are so soft that some will disintegrate while stirring. You want a thick mixture in which the beans are half-crushed. Add the Salt and mix well. The bean paste should be softer than miso.

August 14, 2011

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread Cups

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread Cups

Adapted from Smells Like Home

For the Dough:

2& 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more as needed

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

2& 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast

1/2 tsp Salt

4 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1/3 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Water

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling:

4 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 Cup Sugar

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, plus a little more if you like cinnamon like we do

1/2 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Combine the Flour, Sugar, Yeast and Salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Combine the Butter and Milk in a small saucepan and heat just until the butter is melted. Set aside and let cool briefly, until the mixture registers 115-125 degrees F.

Add the milk mixture, Water, Vanilla and Eggs to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and is tacky but not sticky. Knead about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. (After the dough has doubled, it can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before proceeding.)

While the dough rises, make the filling. Add the Butter to a small saucepan and melt until browned. Set aside. Combine the Sugar, Cinnamon and Nutmeg in a small bowl and mix well.

Once risen, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and gently deflate. Roll the dough into a ball, cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.

Roll the dough out into an approximately 12 x 20-inch rectangle then brush the dough with the browned butter (We used all of the butter here, but I would recommend just a light brushing. Some of the layers were falling apart too easily after baking, I think because we used too much butter). Sprinkle the Cinnamon-Sugar mixture over the dough in an even layer (Don’t skimp here – use all of the mixture because you’ll lose a little as you move through the next couple of steps).

Lightly grease a 6-cup giant muffin pan. Slice the dough vertically into 6 even strips. Stack the strips on top of each other and again cut again into 6 equal slices. Set one stack of 6 strips into each cup of the prepared pan. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown. (If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil at the end of baking.) Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan 20-30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each cup to loosen and carefully remove the pull-aparts. Serve warm.

Bread, Breakfast&Brunch, Food, Sweet

August 11, 2011

Honey Wheat Fig Bars

Ah, figs. I think that I’ve always loved figs. By grandma has a huge Green Fig tree that produces beautiful, unbelievably sweet, red-centered fruit. I used to climb its branches as high as I could, helping her pick the figs ready for harvest. What great memories. I’m sure I could still climb the tree, but I don’t know if I could make it as high. I might break some branches. I’ve done some growing in the past 8 or 10 years, you see.

Fig bars, however, are a different story. My dad used to pack me those Fig Newtons for lunch, and I was never really a huge fan. They just didn’t taste good for some reason. Recently, though, as I’ve begun to crave things that I never really liked before, I’ve been wanting to have some Fig Newtons. Unfortunately, according to the packaging, there are hydrogenated oils in Fig Newtons and because of this, I’ve been avoiding them and haven’t been able to satisfy my craving for the past few months.

And then I ran across this recipe! Hoorayyyyy, I can make them at home, and they appear to be healthy! Who knows if they actually are, but whole wheat, dried figs, and sweetened with honey rather than sugar sounds pretty darn convincingly healthy to me. So I gave them a try, and they turned out great. Wonderfully satisfying, although as I’ve stated below, I think that a little honey could be omitted from the filling to make them less sweet. Other than that, I loved every bit of them. The cookie outside was especially good. Soft, lightly sweet, and compliments the figs very nicely. I will be making these again, and adjusting the recipe to experiment with different fillings and things.

So, I recommend these if you like dried figs. Even if you don’t like dried figs, I recommend them. You might not like them, but I’m sure somebody you know will, and then you can share, making someone else happy.

Honey Wheat Fig Bars

From The Green Market Baking Book : 100 Delicious Recipes for Naturally Sweet& Savory Treats via the Wild Yeast Blog

1& 1/4 Cups Honey, divided

1/2 Cup Butter, at room temperature

1 Egg

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Pound Dried Figs (about 2 1/4 cups, chopped)

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 teaspoons Lemon Zest

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

In a medium bowl, cream 3/4 cup of the Honey with the Butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the Egg. Add the Flour, Baking Powder, and Baking Soda and combine. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 2 hours, until firm (or overnight).

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor with a metal blade, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of Honey (I felt that the filling could have been a little less sweet, so maybe cut back to 1/3 cup or 1/4 cup honey if you’d like), the Figs, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, and Chopped Nuts (if you’re using them). Process until the figs are finely chopped. Set aside.

When the dough is well chilled, dust a work surface and the dough with some flour. Working quickly, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife, trim the dough into two 14×6-inch rectangles.* Dough trimmings can be used to make cutout cookies (or saved to make more bars!)

Spread half the fig mixture evenly down the center of one dough rectangle. Gently fold the right side of the rectangle over the filling, then fold the left side over the right so they overlap. Pinch the ends to seal. Repeat with the remaining rectangle and the fig mixture. Carefully place the dough logs seam-side down on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until the logs are lightly browned. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, allowing the logs to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars (we cut 1 inch bars, but that was because ours were so side. A less wide bar could be cut to 2 or 3 inches)

*Our bars came out much wider than expected. They were great this way – I actually think that I prefer them to the traditional squarer shape – but if you want them to be narrower so that you can cut them to be reasonably-sized square bars, you might want to roll the dough out to 14 by 4 inches or something.

Food, Snacks, Sweet

August 10, 2011

Soba Noodles Homemade&Handmade

So, what have I discovered today? Only one thing really comes to mind: Soba is hard.

I didn’t plan on starting with Soba. I was going to make Udon or an Egg-based Chinese noodle. I mean, I even only have one memory of ever eating Soba! So why, oh why, did I kick off my Asian Noodle-making with Soba, something I have so little experience with and have never really had any interest in? Sigh. I thought that it would be convenient and easy.

Thinking back on it, to that instant where I decided to try it, I have a hard time believing that that was the real reason. Udon would have been just as convenient! I have all the ingredients, too. I guess I just thought that it’d be a two-for-one since I’m going to make some Buckwheat Crepes tomorrow and I’d get some more use out of the buckwheat flour. Oh how wrong I was. This was neither thrifty (as I’ve wasted flour on my numerous attempts) or easy. See below: they look a bit dry, don’t they? These were from attempt 1.

Luckily, with mistakes and trial-and-error comes experience and enlightenment. Although my final batch of Soba was not perfected, it’s not bad and I now have some tips to share.

Tip 1: Do not let the dough become too dry. This may seem obvious, but on my first batch, I didn’t even realize that it was too dry! Sure, it was cracking a little bit, but I thought that that just came from lack of experience in rolling out the dough. So, if your dough seems a little dry, wet your fingertips a little bit while kneading. That being said, don’t let your dough get too wet, either.

Tip 2: Do not under-knead your dough. Apparently, because buckwheat flour is free of gluten, it doesn’t bind quite the same as wheat flour. You’d think that I would have known this, since I was just working at a bakery! But no, I was not aware of this important fact. There is some wheat flour in the dough as well, but because there is so little, you need to be sure to knead the dough enough so that the flour can attach to itself and form protein chains, or something like that. You couldn’t really tell the difference between uncooked and cooked Soba in my first batch, because it was so mushy and falling apart. It just didn’t stick together.

Tip 3: Use a light coating of starch often, and use starch, not flour, for dusting. The original recipe said to use additional buckwheat flour for dusting between the layers and while rolling out, but this didn’t work too well for me. It still stuck, and I think that it dried out the dough quicker because I was adding so much flour into it.

Tip 4 (more of a note): I don’t know if it was my imagination, but it seemed like the noodles had a better consistency if I refrigerated them (wrapped in plastic/ zip-locked) for a little while before cooking them. Just thought I’d mention it.

Soba Noodles

Adapted a little from Takashi’s Noodles

2& 1/4 Cups Buckwheat Flour

1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup Cold Water, plus more if needed

Potato Starch or Cornstarch, for dusting

To make the noodles, sift both Flours into a large bowl. Add 1/2 Cup of the Water and mix well by hand. Slowly add more water and continue mixing until the dough begins to form (it will begin to stick together). The 1 Cup of water is just a guide – you may not need to use all of it or you may need to add more depending on the level of humidity. You want the dough to be smooth and firm, not wet and soft like pizza dough. To see how to mix the dough, watch this video.

After all the water has been incorporated, begin to knead the dough in the bowl. Knead the dough by folding the bottom part over the top and pressing down with your entire body weight. Rotate a quarter turn and continue kneading, working the dough until it becomes smooth and shiny, 5 to 6 minutes total. Test the dough by gently stretching a golf-ball size piece until the dough extends 2 inches before breaking. When you’ve finished kneading, form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic while you dust a work surface with Potato Starch.

Divide the dough into four pieces. Wrap three pieces in plastic while you work with the other so they won’t become dry. Set one piece of dough on your dusted surface. Press down on the dough with your hands until you form a square, then with a rolling pin, roll it into a thin rectangle at least 18 inches long and 1/16 inch thick. Be sure to rotate and flip the dough every few rolls, dusting with a little starch each time.

Lightly fold to layer the dough into thirds. Gently place a wooden box or straight edge on the dough to use as a guide while cutting the noodles (I did not do this). With a flat knife, cut the layered dough into 1/8 inch-thick strips. Gently shake out the noodles and place them loosely on a plate until ready to use. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

To cook the noodles, place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Submerge a metal strainer in the water and add the noodles. Cook for 1 minute or until al dente tender and cooked through but not mushy! Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking.

Food, Other

July 23, 2011

Red Bean Ice

Update 03/15/2012: Use Carnation Milk – recommended by Grandma.

Not the best pictures, I know, but cut me some slack! The light was disappearing, the ice was melting, the camera was dying, and of course I do this drink no justice without one of those tall glasses! But you gotta work with what you got. Anyways, here’s another dessert drink to cool you down during these hot summer days. The credit for this one, I believe, is most often given to Hong Kong, although there’s a Japanese dessert that’s practically the same thing, just using cream or half& half instead of milk.

I grew up drinking this as a sweet accompaniment to beef noodle soup in Chinatown. I never really thought about it until now, but it’s a nice contrast to the soup. It’s cold and creamy, with a subtle sweetness from the Red Bean. Like most Chinese/Asian desserts, it’s not overwhelmingly sweet and really simple to make.

I guess I should probably mention that there are variations so that you can do with it what you like. I was reading around and I read that a Sugar Syrup is typically poured over the Red Beans or that the beans even sit in a syrup. The latter option just seems like it would be way to sweet for me, and the first option probably would work too, but I’ve just decided not to do it that way. But because I’m giving you the recipe for a syrup, you can do it that way, if you like.

Also, some people like to put a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on top of the Red Beans as well, to make it extra dessert-y. I’m just going to keep it to the classic drink that I’ve been having all these years, although I know from experience that Red Beans and Vanilla Ice Cream are great together. And if you have any (I don’t at the moment, or I would add them in, too), you can put in Boba in the bottom with the Red Bean, too. Mmm m-mm mm.

Red Bean Ice

1/4 Cup Dried Red Beans

1/4 Cup Sugar or Rock Sugar

Water

Shaved Ice or Several Ice Cubes, blended in a blender

Milk

In a saucepan or pot, cover the Red Beans with water and bring to a boil. Drain, discarding the water, and cover the beans once again with Water (I used about 1& 1/2 cups water this second time). Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and simmer, covered, until the beans are cooked through and soft, but still mostly holding their shape, about 1 hour (This is how I usually have it, but you can let the beans cook longer so that they are half-crushed, more like a paste).

Meanwhile, make the sugar syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the Sugar with 1/2 cup Water. Stir constantly over heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. This should only take a few minutes.

Once the beans are cooked, pour out most of the water, leaving only a few tablespoons behind. Add some sugar syrup to the beans (how much depends on how sweet you like it. I probably added 1/4 cup or less) and mix in well. Set the beans aside and let cool a little.

To assemble: In a clear glass, layer the ingredients in the following order: Red Beans with Syrup, Shaved Ice, and Milk. The milk should cover the red beans and most of the ice. You can now enjoy it with a spoon or large straw!

Drinks, Food, Homecooking, Sweet

July 22, 2011

Moorish Chickpea and Spinach Soup

Hm. Not very attractive, is it? It kind of reminds me of a muddy sand that you might see on the side of the street. We shouldn’t judge based on looks, though. This soup filled the apartment with a really great smell while I was cooking it. A beautiful aromatic spice smell. I’m pretty happy with how this turned out. I didn’t really have any expectations, so it was interesting when I first tried it. There’s a nice spiciness towards the end from the Red Chili.

So would you like to know what I’m doing right now, as I write this post? I’m watching a strange thriller/surreal movie, I think. It’s only a few minutes in and it’s interesting so far, but I’ve just recently been warned that it’s… disturbing. Creepy. Perverse. Doesn’t that sound worrying? There are so many different things that could imply. I’m worried. I don’t do well with horror/thrillers in general and I’ve been peer pressured by my own family to watch it! So I’m using this post as a way to avert my eyes if necessary.

Oh no. Something’s happening. He just missed the warning sign. And now he’s in the house alone with the suspect. There’s yelling and worried dialogue over the phone. She just had a semi-psychotic look on her face. Oh no. I think the bad part is coming. Help! Don’t make me watch this! Please! Ahhhhhh!

Chickpea and Spinach Soup

Adapted from Casa Moro

450g Home-Cooked Chickpeas (see below) or two 400g Canned Chickpeas, rinsed and drained

150 ml Olive Oil (about 1/2 Cup)

300g Spinach, washed and drained well (several cups worth)

75g White Bread, crusts removed and cut into 2 cm cubes (about 2 slices)

3 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced

3/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds

2 Heaped Tablespoons Roughly Chopped Fresh Oregano (I didn’t have any on hand, so I just used a little more dried)

1 Small Dried Red Chili, crumbled or a pinch or so of Red Pepper Flakes

1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar (I used Sherry Vinegar)

700 to 800ml Water or Reserved Chickpea Cooking Liquid (about 1& 1/2 Cups)

60 Threads Saffron, infused in 4 Tablespoons Boiling Water*

1/2 Teaspoon Sweet Spanish Paprika

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

A Dash of Cinnamon (optional)

*I did not add the Saffron out of fear. I have a fear of using Saffron that I need to get over. It’s just so expensive and I’m afraid I’ll mess it up! If you’ve got Saffron, though, go ahead and use it. It’s supposed to taste very nice, but I wouldn’t know…

If you are using dried Chickpeas, place them in a bowl with plenty of cold water and a pinch of baking soda (I don’t think that the baking soda is absolutely necessary) and leave to soak overnight. Drain in a colander, rinse well, then place in a large saucepan with half and onion or 1 head of garlic. Cover with 2L water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming off any scum, for 1 to 2 hours or until soft and tender. Strain and reserve the liquid, if desired, to use later.

Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add 2& 1/2 Tablespoons of the Olive Oil. When hot, add the Spinach with a pinch of Salt and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender and let cool. Chop quite finely and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the Bread for about 5 minutes until golden brown all over, then add the Garlic and Cumin. When the garlic begins to color, add the Oregano and Chili and continue to cook until the garlic is brown. Transfer to a mortar or food processor along with the vinegar and mash to a paste. Put the bread mixture in a saucepan, add the drained Chickpeas, Water or Chickpea Liquid, Saffron infusion, and Paprika, and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend the Chickpeas in a blender or food processor until almost smooth, for texture, before adding them back to the pan. Season the soup with Salt and Pepper. At this point, we added a little bit of Ground Cinnamon as well. If the consistency is too thick (it should be a little thicker than heavy cream), add more water and mix in. Stir in the Spinach until it is heated through as well. Check the seasoning once more and serve.

Food, Lunch&Dinner, Savory, Soup&Stew

July 16, 2011

4 Comments

Batidos

Mmmm… Batidos. They’re just milkshakes, really. But for some reason, they seem even more wonderful. I get them every single time I’m in Miami. A lot of people call them “Cuban Milkshakes,” but I get the feeling that the credit for them can’t be given to just one Latin American country. There have been so many overlaps and blending of foods and culture in general that it’s hard to say where the origins are. One thing I do know, though: Batidos are definitely loved and enjoyed by many. I used to get one right after I got off the plane in the airport, but that was before I started flying in so late. No matter, I still get my Batido fix somehow.

Maybe they’re so good because they’re made with fresh fruit. To be honest, I’m not really a milkshake person, but it seems like milkshakes are generally just ice cream blended up with milk. This is much different, but oh so much better. Creamy, fresh, satisfying. And healthier for you, I’m sure, although thats not nearly the best reason for having one. They’re simply delicious.

This morning, I made two. One of banana and one mango. I also really like papaya, but unfortunately I did not have any on hand. The others are good, though. Just make sure that you have nice, ripe, flavorful fruit, because that’s the main focus of the flavor. If the fruit isn’t good by itself, chances are it’s not going to taste that great in a Batido. Some people put in condensed milk or sugar to make it sweeter, but I just add milk and ice. Keepin’ it natural and simple.

Batidos

Ripe, fresh Fruit of choice

Milk, about an equal amount as fruit

Several Ice cubes

A Straw

Blend all of the Ingredients in a blender until the ice is completely blended and the mixture is creamy. Taste a little. It’s supposed to be creamy like a milkshake, in taste, too (at least that’s how I like it). If it’s not creamy enough, add more milk, but be sure not to overpower the flavor of the fruit.

I didn’t have any this morning, but I recommend drinking it through a Straw. I enjoy it more that way.

Drinks, Food, Homecooking, Sweet

July 13, 2011

07/07/11

Back in Miami. I am so unbelievably happy to be back, I can’t even explain it. I have this wonderful feeling of joy, comfort, exitement, and overall happiness. It’s so great. After walking off of the plane I immediately felt the warm, heavy humidity of the air, cozy and relaxed. And the familiar smell of ocean salt and board wax of my Dad’s car only confirmed the feeling that I am home. Wonderful.

It’s also one of my best friend’s birthday. Happy birthday to her and anyone else with a birthday!

So that’s it. I just thought I’d share. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer as I much as I am!

Life

July 8, 2011

Asian-style Jelly and Mango Dessert

I don’t know who thought of this first, be it the Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Chinese. But there are desserts found in almost every Asian culture that are similar in composition – containing things like jelly, fruit, tapioca, sweet beans, etc., all topped off with ice cream or milk. They’re all really tasty, easy-to-make, and great when it’s hot outside. So to welcome all of this warm weather and summer sun, I decided to share my own Jelly/Fruit/Cream dessert with the world. It’s pretty simple, doesn’t contain many ingredients, and is quick to put together.

All of the quantities given for the amounts of ingredients are super-rough estimates. I never measure out how much of each I use, it’s all done to taste. If you like more mango, add more mango, if you like less evaporated milk, leave out some milk. I generally put equal amounts mango and Grass Jelly, about half as much Coconut Gel, and just enough Evaporated Milk to reach the Coconut Gel or ice. Feel free to adjust to suit your taste, however. There’s no wrong way.

Asian-style Jelly and Mango Dessert

1/2 Ripe Mango

1/5 Can of Grass Jelly (equal amount as Mango)

5-7 Cubes of Sweet Coconut Gel

1/3 Cup of Evaporated Milk (rough estimate)

Shaved Ice

Cut the Grass Jelly into chunks that are roughly between 1 cm to 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

Slice the Mango on either side of the pit. Using a knife, cross-hatch the mango, cutting just until the knife reaches the skin. Then using a spoon, scoop out the mango chunks. After removing the skin from around the pit, remove any excess mango meat and set aside with the chunks.

To assemble: In a clear glass, layer the ingredients starting with the Grass Jelly, following with the mango chunks, then several cubes of Coconut Gel, and Shaved Ice. Finally, pour over the Evaporated Milk. Enjoy with a spoon, trying your best to get some of everything at once ! Mmmm, delicious.

Drinks, Food, Homecooking, Sweet

July 4, 2011

Dry Curry Rice

Hungry cat, hungry cat. Yum yum yum.

The boiled egg on top really makes this tasty. Instead of a curry sauce served over rice, the dry curry powder is cooked with the rice along with some other ingredients. It’s a nice rice base that you can add different mix-ins and toppings to. Nice.

Dry Curry Rice

From Justhungry

8 oz Ground Meat (I used Ground Chicken) or Vegetarian Substitute

Olive or Vegetable Oil

1 Medium Onion, finely chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1 Small Piece Fresh Ginger, finely chopped

1-2 Tbs Curry Powder

1 Tbs. Tomato Paste

2 Tbs. Raisins

Salt and Pepper

4-5 Cups Cooked Japanese Rice

1 Boiled Egg, chopped (optional)

2 Tbs. Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander or Parsley (optional)

Heat a little oil in a sauté pan or wok. Sauté the Onions, Garlic and Ginger until the onion is translucent and a bit browned.

Add the Meat, and brown.

Push the meat and vegetables to one side of the pan. Put the Curry Powder in the empty part of the pan and stir-roast until darkened and fragrant.

Add 1/2 cup of water, Raisins, and Tomato Paste. Simmer rapidly over high heat until the moisture is almost gone.

Add the hot Rice to the pan and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Season with Salt and Pepper.

Serve with the Chopped Egg and Parsley or Coriander on top.

June 28, 2011

Japanese Curry Powder One

Has anyone had Japanese curry? Apparently it’s pretty popular in Japan, and I’ve seen it in bread and ramen, but most often with meat or vegetables over rice. It’s pretty good, and not like Indian curries, really. More similar to Chinese or Korean curry.

So because I wanted to make some Dry Curry Rice, I decided to give making the curry powder a try. I don’t think it’s perfected, though, and the only reason I’m even posting it is because of the Dry Curry post. I didn’t test it or have any trials and error, I just estimated the amounts given by the super-broad ratios and threw it all together. I’m working on it, though. I’m going to try this powder with another recipe or two, then adjust the spices. I feel that something like this all depends on personal taste, so if you decide to make it yourself, mix as much or as little of whatever you like. And if anyone has a great curry recipe out there, feel free to share !

Japanese Curry Powder One

Adapted from S&B through Justhungry

3& 3/4 tsp Ground Turmeric

2 tsp Ground Coriander

1& 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Ground Cardamom

3/4 tsp Black Pepper

Pinch Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Ground Fennel

Mix all the spices together thoroughly. Use as needed.

Food, Other

June 20, 2011

Grilled Whole Surume Squid

Mmm… looks delicious, right?

I have always loved squid and octopus. I don’t know what it is about them, but for as long as I can remember, they’ve been some of my favorite foods. Maybe it’s the texture, or the taste, or even just the way it looks. They’re pretty interesting, with all those tentacles. What kid wouldn’t be drawn in by that alone?

So here’s a recipe for super simple, delicious squid. I wouldn’t even call it a recipe. It’s that easy. I was surprised by how simple it was, and the squid turned out really nice and tender, not rubbery at all. You don’t have to measure anything, no complicated techniques and there aren’t really even many steps. Just: cook the squid. I did get it from a book though. A pretty good looking book that I’d like to try more out of that really reinforces my desire to go to Japan.

The book is all about the Japanese Pub culture, highlighting some of the author’s favorite Izakaya (the pubs) and dishes. He walks through the experience at each place, talking about the atmosphere, chefs, history, and of course the food! And there’s a huge range of dishes, from salad to meat to soup, and from traditional to modern. It all looks great though!

So that’s all I have to say for now. Enjoy the squid if you try it, or just the pictures, and maybe some sake or other alcohol to give it that Izakaya experience.

Grilled Whole Surume Squid

From Izakaya

1 Whole Common (Surume) Squid

Sea Salt

1 Lemon Wedge

2 Teaspoons of Grated Ginger

To clean the squid: pull and separate the tentacles and head from the body. Discard head. Trim the two longer tentacles to the same ength as the others (I did not do this). Wash the tentacles well. Discard the innards, wash the body well under running cold water, and blot dry. Insert your hand into the body, remove the transparent cartilage and discard.

Salt the body and tentacles (I would be careful not to add too much salt. A few teaspoons was enough for me). Broil the squid on a medium charcoal or gas grill, flipping once, until cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Cut the body into 1/4 inch (1.25 cm) thick rings and arrange on a serving plate along with the lemon wedge and grated ginger.

June 20, 2011

StrawberryAppleBlueberry Fruit Roll-ups

StraAppBlu Fruit Roll-ups

Adapted from Just a Taste

4 Cups Roughly Chopped Strawberries

1 Cup Blueberries

1 Cup Chopped Fuji Apple (1 medium apple)

Sweetener, such as Agave or Sugar (optional- I did not use it)

Combine all of your fruit in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You can taste it now for tartness and determine whether or not you want to add some sweetener (it tasted wonderful right now for me, and I was having trouble not eating it all then).

Transfer the fruit purée to a medium-sized saucepan or pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes to an hour (I think I did about 1 hour 15 minutes). After about 30 to 45 minutes, you will probably have to stir it more often as it will start to bubble much more and let off a lot of steam, splattering a bit. The mixture should reduce to a thick consistency and “be thick enough to fold over itself” (I don’t exactly know what this means, but a little over an hour and I figured that it was okay – actually next time I might take it off the heat sooner). You may want to taste it again now for sweetness, as the cooking can change the flavor a bit.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and line a cookie sheet (for this much fruit I suggest a sheet of at least 15 by 10 inches) with a nonstick liner, such as parchment or a Silpat.

Let the mixture cool slightly, for a few minutes, before pouring it out onto your lined cookie sheet. Using a rubber or off-set spatula, spread out the cooked fruit thinly and as evenly as possible. Transfer the cookie sheet to the oven and let it dry in the oven until the fruit feels slightly tacky but does not stick to your fingers, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

You can roll up the Roll-ups in parchment if that’s what you used, or lay a piece of parchment over the fruit and peel it off onto the parchment before rolling it up.

Food, Snacks, Sweet

June 18, 2011

Macaroon-Topped Brownies

Some people who have read some of my past posts may have noticed that the written content is a bit mediocre. That’s okay, I accept that I may not be the best writer or that I don’t always have much to say, but this leads me to a question that I have been pondering for a while: do I always have to include some commentary along with the photos I post? I know that there are Photo Blogs and Photo Websites, but many of the blogs that I have seen, especially the food ones, are full of anecdotes, advice, narration, etc. And that’s great, it’s nice to get some of the personality of the writer and hear what they’re thinking. But what if I don’t have anything to say? I’ve felt a little pressured to fill in the space between the pictures with words, which leads to my pointless rambling and so-so commentary. It’s like writing an in-class or SAT essay once you’ve realized you’re running out of time. The end result is rarely worth reading, but you finish with the feeling of “okay, not great, but at least I have something down.”

So I wanted to ask, do I have to always write something? Will anyone be offended if I don’t? Does it matter if someone feels offended? I mean, I’m really posting these photos for myself, anyway, so that I don’t forget about these things. And really, how many people even read the things that I write? Sometimes I just use the text in between the pictures to break up the space and make it look more visually appealing…

Well, let me know what you think if you happen to have an opinion or any advice about this. I’m open to hear what anyone has to say. About anything, in fact. It’s always nice to get feedback, positive or negative.

Macaroon-Topped Brownies

From Brownies, Bars, & Biscotti!

3 oz Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

3 Eggs

3/4 Cup Sugar

1& 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

2& 1/4 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Melt the Chocolate and Butter (I used a tablespoon or two less than the recipe calls for) in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Beat together the Eggs and Sugar until frothy. Add the chocolate mixture and Vanilla, mixing well. Add the Flour and beat until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Combine the Condensed Milk and Coconut in a bowl. Spoon the mixture over the batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

May 29, 2011

Joy of Cooking Sloppy Joes

Oh gosh how I love Sloppy Joes. When I was in elementary school, I went to an after school program called Club One Love, and my favorite lunch there was Sloppy Joes. We would make them with ground turkey, tomato something (sauce or purée – I don’t know what), and Sloppy Joe seasoning, all sandwiched between a soft hamburger bun. And to me, that was one of the most delicious combination of ingredients imaginable. Oh how I looked forward to the days when we would have Sloppy Joes! I eagerly sat there, waiting for my plate, and then again when I hoped for seconds. What wonderful memories.

And then I left elementary school for the big world of middle school, and for some reason I forgot about Sloppy Joes. Sad, but true. How could I forget about something so great? Only recently, in the past year or two as I approach the end of my high school years, have those memories resurfaced and I find myself craving Sloppy Joes again. I think I might have had them once last year around this time? Maybe? It might have just been a dream.

So now, since I’ve become so interested in cooking, I’ve decided to give making Sloppy Joes a try. But I’m not using the original recipe – No, not this time, I’ll save that one for another day. I’ve decided to take the much more time-consuming method found in The Joy of Cooking. This involves making your own sauce and what not, so of course I’m sitting here and stirring every once in a while as the sauce reduces for a couple hours. It smells really good though, let me tell you, like good quality ketchup. The ketchup that I assume tastes good to the ketchup lover (I do not like ketchup at all. Sorry, I’ve never really been much of a condiment person).

The Sloppy Joes are done! They don’t look at all like I expected. The Sloppy Joes I remember were all red from the sauce. These ones are flecked with yellow and white… hmm.. Different, but still pretty tasty. I must say, I am not disappointed.

Joy of Cooking Sloppy Joes Read more…

May 28, 2011

Crisped Prosciutto

Prosciutto is delicious as is, but if you want to make a fancier-looking bacon, crisped prosciutto does the job nicely. You can put it over salads or toast, or try it in a sandwich, etc.

Crisped Prosciutto

Several Slices Prosciutto

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a baking rack over a sheet of foil and fold the foil over the sides of the rack so it holds on to catch any grease that may drip off of the Prosciutto.

Tear up the Prosciutto slices into the desired sizes and lay in a single layer on the rack. Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool, as it should crisp a little more as it cools.

Food, Homecooking, Other

May 23, 2011

Spinach and Mushroom Baked Eggs Over Toast

Yesterday we had brunch with John, Lori, Cathy, and James, and my mom – as she as been doing recently – gave me all of the cooking responsibility. Which of course I had no problem with, but I did face a bit of a puzzle when trying to figure out what to make. I mean brunch seems so fun! but also tricky for the same reason. I feel like the food has to have a breakfasty element to it but not be so informal. Like you have to dress it up a bit or give it a twist. And that allows you to be so creative – the possibilities are endless!

But because I’ve never made anything for a brunch before, and I’ve only attended a few brunches myself (mainly with John and Lori, who is an AMAZING cook), I decided to look to more experienced sources for figuring out the menu. I looked through a number of cookbooks and scoured the internet, eventually landing on this baked eggs recipe through the food blog, Smitten Kitchen. It seemed easy enough and had all of the right components so I decided to give it a try. And it turned out pretty well, I might add.

So I think that my first attempt at making brunch was a success. Could use some touching up here and there, but what doesn’t? The point is is that it was a nice time with good friends and the food wasn’t bad. I’m really looking forward to making brunch again. I really like having people over and cooking. It’s so fun!

I served this with green salad topped with some Crisped Prosciutto.

Spinach and Mushroom Baked Eggs

From Gourmet, June 2004

10 oz Baby Spinach Leaves

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion

1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

5 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

1/3 Cup Heavy Cream*

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg

4 Large Eggs

2 Tablespoons Finely Grated Parmesan

Put rack in upper third** of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Bring several inches of water to a boil in a 10 to 12 inch ovenproof heavy skillet – not cast iron (I used a dutch oven). Then add half of the Spinach and cook, turning, until wilted, about 30 seconds. Add remaining spinach and wilt in the same manner, then cook, covered, over moderately high heat until the spinach is tender, about 2 minutes (I think that only a minute or so is okay). Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water. Gently squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then coarsely chop.

Wipe the skillet dry, then cook the Onion and Garlic in the Butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are softened and have exuded liquid, about 3 minutes. Stir in Cream (or Milk), Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, and chopped spinach and bring to a simmer.

Remove skillet from heat and make four large indentations in the spinach and mushroom mixture. Break an egg into each indentation and bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until the egg whites are set but yolks are still runny, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer one egg with some spinach and mushrooms over to a piece of toast. Lightly season the egg with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cheese.

*I used Low-Fat Milk.

**Because I used a dutch oven, I left it on the middle rack and they baked just fine.

Breakfast&Brunch, Food, Savory

May 23, 2011

Cheddar Chive Crackers

I’m not sure if these qualify as crackers. They tasted like crackers and have the texture of crackers but they look like cookies, maybe even biscuits. Yeah, that’s what they are: when I imagine those biscuits that sailors took on ships back in the day, I think of something that looks like these but taste like cardboard.

Fortunately, these do not taste like cardboard! They are very cheesy and a tiny bit heated from the cayenne. I can’t really tell you I’ve had much experience eating them though, because after I ate just one, they were devoured by my mom and grandparents – but mostly my mom. She has this thing for chips and cheesy breads and crackers. It always surprises me because she’s always trying to avoid unnecessary oils and things like that, and then she goes and downs practically a whole bag of Fritos (and I’m not talking about the snack size bag) or pours a pile of cheese on top of pasta and salad. Not that there’s anything wrong with that at all. I love cheese too, and cheese can be really good for you right? I mean it’s dairy and we need the things that you find in dairy, in moderation, of course. So cheese is healthy…

Some cheeses are “healthier” than others though, or at least lower in fat. I think I read somewhere that Parmesan has less fat than a cheese like Cheddar. But don’t quote me on that, please. I don’t want to be responsible for all this incorrect information going around. So if someone knows anything about cheese that they would like to share, feel free to enlighten me.

Cheddar Chive Crackers

Adapted from The Complete Spice Book

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Dry Mustard

1/4 Tsp Cayenne

1/4 Cup Butter (1/2 Stick), room temperature

1 Cup Finely Grated Cheddar Cheese

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Toasted Almonds

1 Tbsp Diced Chives or Garlic Chives

2 to 3 Tbsp Milk

Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Mustard, Salt, and Cayenne.

In a separate bowl, mix Butter and Cheese. Add flour mixture, blending with fingers or pastry blender. Mix in the Almonds and Chives. Add the Milk, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork, until the dough holds together.

Shape into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for several hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice dough into rounds about 1/4 inch thick and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Food, Savory, Snacks

May 23, 2011

Hummus Bi Tahini

Did you know that Hummus is made from Chickpeas? I’ve known for a little while now, but I had a really hard time believing it when someone first told me that it was made from beans. I was pretty young at the time and I just couldn’t imagine beans tasting that way. I honestly remember trying really hard to wrap my head around the concept: I pictured beans and then I pictured hummus, trying to create some sort of in-between image. And I just couldn’t do it. I accepted it, though, because I was and still am a huge fan of hummus, even if it is mashed beans.

And seeds. Mashed beans and seeds.

Finger lickin’ good.

Hummus Bi Tahini

From Secrets to Cooking Armenian/Lebanese/Persian

2 to 3 Cloves Garlic, peeled and hard tip removed*

2 Cups Cooked Chickpeas

1/3 Cup Tahini (sesame seed paste)

Salt, to taste

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Lemon Juice

Paprika and Freshly Chopped Parsley to garnish

Place the steel blade in the work bowl of food processor**. Turn motor on and drop in garlic cloves, one at a time, through feed tube. Stop motor and remove cover. Set aside 8-9 Chickpeas for decoration (optional) before adding the remaining chickpeas, Tahini, and Salt to the food processor. Cover and process a few seconds. Add Oil and Lemon Juice through the feed tube with the motor running. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed. Adjust seasoning.

Spread onto a platter or bowl. Arrange the whole cooked chickpeas on top and sprinkle with Paprika and Parsley. Serve with Pita, Fresh Vegetables (like carrots or snap peas), or however else you like.

*Next time, I might try roasting the garlic too, just because that sounds good to me.

**I don’t own a food processor so I used a blender, but it was a little slow and inefficient.

Food, Savory, Snacks

May 17, 2011

Salsa Verde

This salsa tastes like the green salsa that my dad always gets at taquerias for his chips. I’m assuming it’s a similar stuff, but I was a little surprised when I first made it because it was the sauce for some enchiladas. So that would make it enchilada sauce right? But it tastes so similar to the salsa for chips! Is there a difference? Are there salsas for chips and then salsas for enchiladas and other main-meal dishes? I was always under the impression that there were, but now I’m starting to think otherwise.

Salsa Verde

Adapted from The Well-Filled Tortilla

12 to 16 Ounces Tomatillos

2 Cups Cilantro Leaves

2 Serrano Chili Peppers, stemmed

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Peel the paper husks off the Tomatillos. Rinse the tomatillos, place them in a saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos and reserve water.

In a food processor, blender, or food mill, purée the tomatillos along with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the Cilantro, and the Chilies. Stir in the Salt.

Food, Sauces&Salsa, Savory

May 17, 2011

Pita

Pita. I like the word Pita. Apparently, there was a girl who went to my school who was nicknamed Pita. I wouldn’t mind being nicknamed Pita. Maybe I’ll name one of my children Pita.

I just read over what I wrote and I think that I used that word too many times.

Just call me Pita.

Pita Bread

From Secrets to Cooking Armenian/Lebanese/Persian

1 (1/4 oz) Package Dry Yeast

1& 1/2 Cups Warm Water

1 Tbsp Sugar

3/4 tsp Salt

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter

4& 1/2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I used half unbleached all-purpose half whole wheat)

Mix Yeast, 1/2 Cup Warm Water and 1 teaspoon of the Sugar thoroughly. Proof for 10 minutes till foamy on top.

In a food processor or electric mixer, mix Flour, Salt, and remainder of Sugar. Add yeast. With the motor running, pour Water and Oil or Butter in a steady stream and mix until liquid is absorbed and mixture forms into a ball. Remove and knead several times by hand. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap for 2 hours to double in size.

Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Punch dough down. Let rest 5 minutes. Divide into 6 to 8 pieces. Taking one piece at a time, flatten and bring sides together in the center (like wrapping a package) and seal together. Turn the sealed side down. Place on a lightly floured surface and cover with flour-dusted plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Roll each ball into a flat circle (with a rolling pin. At first I read this and tried to roll it like a ball to achieve flatness. It didn’t really work). Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake until puffy and slightly golden colored, about 6 to 8 minutes. right when they come out of the oven, brush the tops lightly with water to give them some shine. Cool slightly on racks and store in a plastic bag while still warm to prevent drying out.

Pita Chips

Several Rounds Pita

A few Tablespoons Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using scissors, cut the Pita along its circumference to create round halves. Stack the halved pita and cut into about 8 pieces (chip-sized. You can cut triangles or other shapes, but I chose rectangles).

Lay the pieces, smooth side down, on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden, and then flip them over and bake for about 5 more minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Bread, Food

May 17, 2011

Nakji Bibimbap

(Octopus Bibimbap).

I must confess, as much as I love Bibimbap, the main motivation for me making this was this great cast iron pot I recently bought. I got it at Pot + Pantry, a small kitchenware shop in San Francisco. Although they can be a little pricey at times, I think that it’s a great store – they have lots of new, used, and really cool vintage stuff. This particular pot I just picked up is maybe 10 inches in diameter (I’m not the best at estimating anything so for all I know it could be 7, 8, 9 inches) with no lid but a wire handle. The woman who I assume owns the store called it a cauldron. And it was only 12 dollars ! A great find in my opinion. And, as my mom pointed out, very nice for making Bibimbap.

So, as my favorite Bibimbap is this Seafood Bibimbap from a place on the Peninsula, I decided to give that a try. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really remember what seafood went into it other than the octopus so I’ve had to modify it to just Octopus Bibimbap. Bibimbap is traditionally rice mixed in with leftover New Years dishes, so you can really put whatever you want on top. And, while I was researching recipes, I found out that there are tons of different kinds of Bibimbap! So many variations that I think anything that you decide to do with it will be okay.

Yum yum yum yum yum.

Nakji Bibimbap Read more…

May 17, 2011

Green Chicken Enchiladas

Oh dear. I made these a little while ago, maybe even a month ago, and I am just now getting to publishing this post. And so I must tell you: I do not have the best memory as to what these were like.

So now you can join me through this unclear memory as I strive to remember…

I know they were pretty simple to make. The most time consuming part was the tortillas. Unfortunately, I don’t think I seasoned it well enough – the chicken. No, I didn’t put enough salt. I’m always afraid of adding too much seasoning, especially salt and sugar. There are some things you just can’t reverse and too salty is one of them. However, Nathan and my mom didn’t seem to think they were underseasoned, although I don’t know if I can fully trust them. Sometimes you can’t trust people who are very supportive of you… They tend to overlook minor blemishes.

I was a big fan of the Salsa Verde, though. I believe I felt that the salsa saved them from their lack of seasoning. So that’s my recommendation to you: Try the Salsa Verde.

So, I get an okay feeling when I think of them. I guess that means I thought that they were alright. Better with the salsa than without. However, Nathan and my mom claimed that they liked the enchiladas. Quite a bit, actually. I think Nathan is more trustworthy than my mom in this case, so if we’re going to trust him, these enchiladas weren’t half bad. Don’t skimp on the salt though – that I know for sure.

Well that’s all I remember. Maybe a bit of a pathetic memory. I tried, though. And that’s what matters, right? I tried my best.

Green Chicken Enchiladas

From The Well-Filled Tortilla

4 to 5 lbs Chicken Pieces, a combination of breasts, thighs, and legs, or 1 &1/2 Chickens, quartered, or 2 &1/2 lbs Cooked Chicken Meat (5 to 6 Cups)

1 &1/2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

3 Medium Onions, halves lengthwise and thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

About 18 Corn Tortillas

Salsa Verde (see below)

1 Cup Grated or Crumbled Cheese, such as Cheddar, Jack, Feta, or Queso Fresco

If using fresh chicken, heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the Chicken Pieces, skin side up, in a roasting pan (or a cast-iron skillet, which I used). Sprinkle with the Oregano and Salt and Pepper. Arrange the Onions over the chicken; drizzle the Oil over the top. Bake until the juices are no longer pink, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Shred the meat and discard the skin and bones. Mix the chicken meat with the onions in the pan.

If using precooked chicken, heat the Olive Oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the Onions, Oregano, and Salt and Pepper to taste. Stir until the onions are soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cooked chicken and remove from heat.

In a frying pan, heat enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom. Fry the tortillas over medium heat until just soft and pliable, a few seconds per side.

To assemble, fill each tortilla with about 1/3 Cup of the warm chicken and onions and roll into a tube. Place the enchiladas in a single layer in a baking dish. Spread the Salsa Verde over the top and sprinkle on the Cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in a 350 degree F oven until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Serve with additional toppings if desired.

Corn Tortillas

From the Maseca package

2 Cups Masa Harina

1 &1/4 Cups Water

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form a soft dough. If dough feels dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time.

Divide the dough into roughly 16 to 18 equal balls. Cover with a damp cloth to keep moist. Line a tortilla press with two pieces plastic wrap and press one ball until tortilla measures 5 to 6 inches in diameter (or if you do not have a tortilla press, place one ball between two pieces of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Press down with the bottom of a plate or other flat object, then roll out with a rolling pin to achieve the desired size). Carefully peel off plastic wrap.

Salsa Verde

Adapted from The Well-Filled Tortilla

12 to 16 Ounces Tomatillos

2 Cups Cilantro Leaves

2 Serrano Chili Peppers, stemmed

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

In a food processor, blender, or food mill, purée the tomatillos along with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the Cilantro, and the Chilies. Stir in the Salt.

May 16, 2011

Tasty Black Beans

So let me tell you a little somethin’ about these black beans: they are damn good. It might just be me, because neither my mom nor Nathan seemed to appreciate them the way I did. Then again, I don’t know if they appreciate beans in general like I do. Anyways, I wasn’t expecting them to turn out to be anything special. I just made them to accompany a failed dish (which is why there are barely any photos of them) and they ended up stealing the spotlight! Hearty, full of protein, fiber, and some spiciness thrown in there to make them super-great. They’re so good that I’ve been eating them cold, which I never do because I’m one of those people who feels that heating up food tends to make it taste better. Which isn’t true in all cases. Some people would argue that pizza is better the next day, cold for breakfast. I do disagree with that, though. I’m a fan of my pizza hot, covered in melty cheese and hot toppings.

So I would suggest that you give these a try if you’re looking for a side dish to accompany some meat with rice, or something to snack on. Ah, I forgot: they aren’t like the black beans that you might find in a taco or burrito, although the book that the recipe is from suggests you use them as a tortilla filling. Those tend to be firmer and less saucey (at least in my experience). These ones have started to break apart a little, as if you took some out and mashed them before adding them back in. They’re like the ones you’d mix into some white rice or clean from the bowl with a piece of bread. In fact, you could probably make a small dinner of them that way. Some beans, rice or bread, and roasted corn. Yum.

Tasty Black Beans*

Adapted from The Well-Filled Tortilla

1 &1/2 lbs Black Beans (about 3 &1/2 Cups)

1 &1/2 Medium Onions, finely chopped

6 Garlic Cloves, minced

3 Serrano Peppers, stemmed and finely chopped

1/2 Cup Canned Crushed Tomatoes in Purée (I used Tomato Paste)

1/8 Teaspoon Pure Chili Powder

12 Cups Water

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Place the Black Beans, Onions, Garlic, Peppers, Tomato Paste, Chili Powder, and Water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 1 & 1/2 hours. Stir in Salt and cook a little longer if the beans are not tender; remove from heat if they are, and serve.

*I did not make as many beans as this called for, so I estimated the quantity of ingredients: 1 bowl of Dried Black Beans, roughly 3 to 4 bowls of Water, 1/2 Large Yellow Onion, 2 to 3 Cloves of Garlic, 1 to 2 Serrano Peppers, a large spoonful of Tomato Paste, a bit of Chili Powder, and Salt to taste.

May 6, 2011

Coconut Raisin Loaves

Disappointment loaves.

Let me explain.

Disappointment: n. The feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations (Google.com)

I am the one to blame for my disappointment. I judged a recipe by its ingredients, and with a list containing Rose Water, Coconut, Almond Extract, and Raisins, I anticipated a heavily fragrant and coconutty bread. The loaves came out of the oven looking wonderful with a nice lightly golden crust, just ready to be eaten. I cut off a slice, took a bite, and faced – disappointment. Alas, they were not so fragrant as I had hoped. Tasty, yes, but just not what I had been looking forward to. Such a nonfulfillment of my hopes and expectations.

All the disappointment aside, the bread wasn’t bad. The coconut was mainly there for the texture, and the flavor mainly came from the Cinnamon and the Nutmeg, I think (although Nathan, who liked it, says it tasted “coconutty with sweet surprises). The raisins were nice, and I might have added more had I made it over again.

They honestly could make very good toast, I think. Just a little crispy on the outside with a little bit of butter on top. That actually sounds delicious.

Could be a nice tea compliment.

Coconut Raisin Loaves

From Kwanzaa

4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon plus 1 Teaspoon Baking powder

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg

2 Cups Grated Fresh Coconut*

3/4 Cup Dark Raisins

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, melted

1/2 Cup Milk, plus additional if necessary

2 Large Eggs, beaten

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

1 Teaspoon Rose Water

Postion a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 8×4 inch loaf pans. Dust the pans with flour, and knock out the excess.

In a large bowl, sift together the Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Salt, and Nutmeg. Stir in the the Coconut and Raisins.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Melted Butter, Milk, Eggs, Vanilla and Almond Extracts, and Rose Water. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients to make a soft biscuit-like dough. Stir in additional milk if necessary (the exact amount of milk depends on the moistness 0f the coconut). Divide the dough evenly between the two prepared loaf pans, smoothing the tops.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cook the loaves for 10 minutes on a wire cake rack. Then invert them onto the rack, unmold, and allow to cool completely.

Bread, Food, Sweet

May 4, 2011

Standard Banana Bread

I’ve just come home from school. I walk into the kitchen, look to my left, and see it: a huge pile of bananas. I’m not just talking one particularly large bunch of bananas. No, I’m talking about that new large bunch of bananas on top of another bunch of bananas that we already had. Now why would anyone buy so many bananas? Beats me. All I know is that there’s no way all these bananas are going to be eaten before a number of them turn all brown and rejected.

Low and behold, a week later the fruit bowl is filled with overripe bananas (note the bananas above are in their prime eating condition and not too overripe). Such a sad sight. They’ve watched as the apples, oranges, even the occasional melon were picked up and eaten, as they, slowly losing hope as they brown, lay there, left behind. What’s going to happen to them now? The trash? No, that would be wasteful. They’re headed for something better: the “A-Number-1 Banana Cake,” the recipe that I fall back to whenever there are abandoned brown bananas in the fruit bowl, giving them a second life. It’s pretty simple, moist, reliable, tasty, AND economical.

I’m calling it standard because I use it so often. We’ve all got some of those recipes, those dishes that have become a kind of staple. This one’s pretty tasty though. Although if you make it as often as I do, it just might become standard for you, too. The basic recipe is just banana bread: no glitter or frills. But on my mom’s request, I add cranberries/dried cherries and LOTS of chocolate chips. She has this sort of, not addiction really, but sometimes intense need or craving for this chocolate-cherry banana bread from a certain cafe. So this is also my attempt to recreate it, which apparently I do a pretty good job of doing, according to her.

Also, I believe that the original recipe is from Allrecipes.com. My mom’s friend just made a few minor adjustments before passing the recipe on to us.

A-Number-1 Banana Cake

Adapted from Mom’s Friend’s recipe

2 & 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

1 Pinch Salt

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter

1 Cup White Sugar*

3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

4 Ripe Bananas, mashed

2/3 Cup Milk

Handful of Dried Cranberries/Cherries and Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

In a small bowl, whisk together Flour, Soda, and Salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream Butter, White Sugar, and Brown Sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in Eggs, one at a time. Mix in Vanilla and Mashed Bananas. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture. Stir in the Cranberries/Cherries and Chocolate Chips. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes* or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a damp tea towel to cool.

*I cut back on the white sugar a little bit and do not pack the brown sugar.

**In my experience, it usually takes about an hour.

May 4, 2011

Lightly Lemon Tea Cookies

Thin, crispy, light. Light and lemony. Lightly lemon.

A nice accompaniment to a cup of tea, hot or iced.

I imagine taking a bite out of one of these with a sip of ice tea on a sunny summer afternoon, sitting outside on a porch with a gentle breeze breezing by. They remind me somewhat of a bright day.

Humm hum diddle diddle dum.

Lightly Lemon Tea Cookies

From Kwanzaa

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg

8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

Grated Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Large Egg, at Room Temperature

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Granulated Sugar, for Sprinkling

Sift the Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the Butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the Sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Beat in the Lemon Zest, Egg, and Vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just blended. Gather up the dough to form a thick flat disk, wrap it in waxed paper, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Position racks in the top third and the center of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, in batches, roll the dough out 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter (or other shape/ size if you prefer), cut out rounds. Place the rounds on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with about 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar, and press it lightly so it adheres. Gather up the scraps, reroll, and repeat the procedure with the remaining dough.

Bake the cookies for 3 minutes, then switch the positions of the cookie sheets from the top to bottom, and continue baking until the cookies are barely browned, about 6 minutes total. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheets, then transfer the cookies to wire cake racks to cool completely.

May 2, 2011

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

I’ve never really liked biscotti. The first time I tried it I was pretty young. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting a cookie to be so hard. It was so crunchy that it hurt the top of my mouth and teeth! I think it was one of the first cookies that I rejected. An overall bad experience.

So since then, I hadn’t really touched biscotti at all and the only reason I even tried these was because I was making a sort of cookie basket for some of my teachers. They turned out pretty well though, I must say. Not too hard, they are a little crumblier when you bite into them. And I’ve been told they’re good in tea or coffee, too (maybe my first experience would have been better if I’d softened them that way). I add a little more almond extract just because I’m a big fan of the flavor and smell – of course feel free to experiment. Adding other nuts or fruit like almonds, currants, pecans, etc. would be pretty easy in this recipe. Just mix em in with the sticky dough! (it is very sticky, I was quite surprised to discover).

So yeah, I feel like I’ve undersold these biscotti. But I don’t want to oversell them. Am I doing them a disservice?

I’ll just leave it with the comment that I like them, other people like them, they’re likeable. So maybe you should give them a try for yourself.

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

From Allrecipes.com

1/4 Cup Light Olive Oil

3/4 Cup White Sugar

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract (I usually add a little more than this)

2 Eggs

1 & 3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

1 & 1/2 Cup Shelled Pistachios

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together Oil and Sugar until well blended. Mix in the Vanilla and Almond Extracts, then beat in the Eggs.

Combine Flour, Salt, and Baking Powder in a separate bowl and gradually stir into the egg mixture. Mix in Cranberries and Pistachios.

Divide the dough in half. Form two logs (12 x 2 inches) on the cookie sheet. If the dough is too sticky, wet hands with cool water before continuing.

Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the logs are light brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).

Cut the logs on diagonal into 3/4 thick slices. Lay the slices on their sides on the parchment covered cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until the cookies are dry. Let cool and enjoy by themselves or with a hot drink.

May 2, 2011

Breakfast Pancakes

What better way to start this off than with a nice way to start your day?

Just to let you know, These are my Favorite Breakfast Pancakes that I have come across so far. It’s not the recipe for the pancakes, exactly. It’s just the way that I eat them. And I came up with it all by myself ! I’m very proud of this, by the way. It’s not every day that you come up with a wonderful, original thing. And if anyone reading this right now is thinking “well you’re not the first person to think of that, I eat them like that too,” then all I have to say to you is that I’m happy for you. We both came up with a good idea independently and that in itself should be enough to make a person proud.

So, about these pancakes. The pancakes batter itself is a little different than most pancake batters. I was given the recipe by a friend who calls them “cakey pancakes.” They’re pretty thick. You’ll see if you make them, but this batter isn’t the runny kind that forms a perfect circle when you pour it. Oh no, this stuff has personality. The first time I made them at home, Nathan walked up behind me and said, “Why are you sculpting those pancakes?” He was referring to the fact that I had a spoon in each hand and was trying by best to shape this personalitied batter into a respectable-looking pancake: round edges, smooth sides, ready to fluff up evenly. Unfortunately I had no such luck my first attempt or two. The thickness of the batter that prevented it from spreading out easily also prevented the center from cooking fully without the outside burning. I ended up with some burnt, lopsided, undercooked, and overall raggedy pancakes.

That is not the end of my story, however. It does get better.

After multiple attempts, I found a method that worked, and now I will share that method with you, if you care to learn. You have to be reasonably quick, though. Not too aggressive but just pushy enough.

Using a spoon (I use a standard table spoon. One that I eat cereal with), I scoop up some batter and push it onto the pan with an equally sized spoon. Now here’s where you have to be quick. Using the front/bottom of both spoons, I pull at the edges of the batter to form it into a roundish-shape that’s not too thick (as they do get reasonably fluffy and you want it too cook through). Be careful not to pull too much batter, because then you might poke a hole in the middle. If you’re successful, you’ll end up with a still jaggedy-edged but nicely golden and fluffy pancake. Then we get to what goes on top, because it’s a whole group of things that makes these pancakes wonderful.

Here it is: Jam and Bananas.* That’s what I put on top that I claim is so original and delicious. That’s my fabulous idea. Sure, I guess it’s not the most original flavor combination in the world. I (and I’m sure others) eat peanutbutter, jam, and banana sandwiches. I admit they show up other places together, too. But in my mind, I had made a major breakthrough in the pancake-eating community and I am happy to share that with you today.

*The chocolate chips inside the pancakes are necessary as well for the full great breakfast pancake experience.

Breakfast Pancakes

From Katherine’s Mom’s recipe

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 Cup Milk

2 Eggs, Lightly Beaten

4 Tablespoons Melted Butter

A Handful or Two of Chocolate chips

Jam**

A Ripe Banana or Two

Mix Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the Milk, Eggs, and 4 tablespoons melted Butter. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture to form batter. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Coat your pan in a bit of butter and heat it up. Add the batter to the pan, a spoonful at a time and cook – flipping once or several times if needed – until done (see above for cooking recommendations).

Spread some jam on the top of your pancake and finish it off with a coating of the bananas, sliced. That’s all – hopefully you like them !

**Whatever kind you like. I personally am a fan of blackberry or raspberry, but once I had some of this papaya-pineapple jam that was great.

Breakfast&Brunch, Food, Sweet

May 1, 2011