lemon tart

Your love is better than twitter

2012-01-29T14:47:00.001-08:00

Healthy Morning Muffin

2010-01-15T22:54:00.001-08:00

From Everyday Food Magazine

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins (I used dried cranberries)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup skim milk
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium banana, mashed

Notice the little baby hand that always wants to get involved in whatever Mama is doing.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and salt until there are no lumps. Stir in oats and raisins. Add oil, egg, milk, carrots and banana and stir until blended.

2. Fill each muffin cup with 1/4 cup batter. Bake 23-25 minutes.

This is an instant hit at our house. Evan can consume two of these in one sitting and I can't complain with all the goodness included in the recipe.

Banana (Bread) Muffins

2009-11-11T23:15:00.001-08:00

From Joy Of Baking

1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 ounces (65 grams) white chocolate, cut into small pieces

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

8 tablespoons (113 grams) (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 very ripe large bananas (approximately 1 pound or 454 grams), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnish:

1 large banana, sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Butter or spray a 12 - 1/2 cup muffin pan.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and white chocolate. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins.) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and place a slice of banana on top of each muffin for garnish. Bake about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 regular sized muffins.

I omitted the chocolate chips from this recipe. I love this recipe, very easy to make and folding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients is a key tip!

1-2-3 Chicken

2009-08-08T17:57:00.001-07:00

From pinoycook.net

The 1-2-3 refers to the proportions of the ingredients. In this recipe, there is 1 part sugar and rice wine to 2 parts vinegar to 3 parts soy sauce. I made it as follows:

1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup rice wine
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
8 pieces of chicken thighs

Connie's recipe had ginger and cooking oil but I just made this recipe "adobo" style by marinating everything for a few hours and simmering it in a pot until the sauce reduced. Serve with rice. This recipe was so easy to make.

Cranberry Bread

2009-07-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

From Everyday Food Magazine

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan<
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole milk
1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity), and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine butter, egg, and milk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and whisk to combine; fold in cranberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bread cool 30 minutes. Invert onto rack, then immediately turn right side up to cool completely.

I used re-hydrated dried cranberries for this recipe and omitted the turbinado sugar for the topping because I didn't have any. A good snack or breakfast option.

Strawberry Pie (Tart) with Chocolate Crust

2009-07-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw this post by Evan Kleiman, I knew I had to make this pie. How can one go wrong with strawberries and chocolate?

Thankfully, I had a chocolate tart crust mix from William-Sonoma in my cupboard so I made this in a tart pan instead of a pie dish.

I'm a little proud of this creation because I really didn't have a recipe to follow with measurements and all. Per Evan's instructions on her blog, she cooked some strawberries with some sugar and lemon zest on the stovetop. I cooked my strawberries with some lemon zest and 1/4 cup of sugar.

Then, we whipped a cup of heavy cream with some confectioner's sugar (I just eyeballed the amount of sugar). Here's my Evan whipping the cream-- I have to say he is getting quite good in the kitchen being careful not to make a lot of mess.

I then folded in half the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream. I spread the other half of the strawberry onto the cooked tart crust and layered the strawberry whipped cream on top.

I love watching Evan lick the bowl.

Yum!

Korean Style Broiled Short Ribs

2009-07-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

From cooks.com

2 lbs. short ribs
4 to 5 tbsp. sugar or honey
3 tbsp. oil
6 tbsp. soy sauce
2 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of salt and pepper
1/4 c. rice wine or sherry

Have ribs cut into 2 in square serving pieces. Score both sides of each piece deeply with knife. Cut away excess fat. Add sugar and oil to ribs. Mix well. Let stand.

Marinate 2 to 3 hours. Broil on both sides. Combine remaining ingredients; mix well with ribs. Serve hot.

Supernatural Brownies

2009-07-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

From Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers, by Nick Malgieri via The Splendid Table.

Makes about twenty-four 2-inch-square brownies

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used unsweetened chocolate)
4 large eggs (I used 3 eggs 'cause that's what I had on hand)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
One 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered parchment or foil

1. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off heat. Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over pan of water. Stir occasionally until melted.

3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in salt, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in flour.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm. Cool in pan on a rack. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature or refrigerated until next day.

5. To cut brownies, unmold onto a cutting board, remove paper, and replace with another cutting board. Turn cake right side up and trim away edges. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares.

Serving: Serve the brownies on their own or with ice cream and hot fudge sauce.

Storage: The best way to store brownies is to wrap them individually and keep them at room temperature in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover. Or freeze them.

Note: If you have a 12 x 18-inch commercial half-sheet pan, you may double this recipe easily.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

2009-06-12T17:52:00.001-07:00

From Real Simple Magazine

Ingredients
2  28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
3  cloves garlic, finely chopped<
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
kosher salt and pepper
16 ounces fresh ricotta
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
12 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1  bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed and torn into large pieces (I used brocolli or spinach)
12 ounces mozzarella, grated

1. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In another medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2. Spoon 1/3 cup of the tomato mixture into the bowl of a slow cooker. Top with a single layer of noodles, breaking them to fit as necessary. Add half the Swiss chard. Dollop with a third of the ricotta mixture and a third of the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella.
3. Add another layer of noodles and repeat with the other ingredients. Finish with a layer of noodles and the remaining ricotta mixture, tomato mixture, and mozzarella.<
4. Set the slow cooker to low and cook, covered, until the noodles are tender, 2 hours.

If You Don't Have a Slow Cooker: Heat oven to 375° F. Follow the recipe above using no-boil lasagna noodles in place of the dried ones and layer the ingredients in a Dutch oven or large casserole. Cover and bake until the noodles are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

I broke my slow cooker into a hundred little pieces a few months back and I cooked it in the oven per the instructions above and it turned out better than the slow cooker method since it looked like a traditional lasagna. To make things go faster, I also used Trader Joe's Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce which is a favorite in our household. I also added some sliced TJ's turkey meatballs for added protein.

This recipe is so easy to make.

growth

2009-06-10T18:23:00.001-07:00

A couple of months ago Evan and I went to the nursery and got a bunch of vegetables to plant in our backyard. It was fun planning our vegetable garden. We planted a bunch of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, strawberries and parsley.

The strawberry plant provided instant gratification as fruit was available about a week after we planted them. The tiny cucumber plant has grown into a big vine and yielded these huge cucumbers.

Lastly, this lone pepper sprouted and I'm not sure what to do with it yet. We're looking forward to eating those tomatoes once they are ready.

Incidentally, our family is growing too. Pretty soon we will have a baby boy join our family. Can't wait!

Hazelnut Espresso Cookies

2009-01-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

From Everyday Food Magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
16 T (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 T instant espresso powder
2 cups (10 oz) hazelnuts (skins removed), coarsely chopped*

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. With an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in espresso powder.
4. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, stir in hazelnuts.
5. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto three baking sheets, 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake, first two sheets together, until golden about 12 minutes. Rotating sheets halfway through. Repeat with remaining sheet. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes.
6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

*Preheat oven to 275 degrees, to remove skins, place raw, shelled hazelnut in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, bake until skins crack, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and roll up. Let steam 5 minutes. Rub the nuts in the towel between your hands until most of the skins have come off.

This cookie had a stronger hazelnut taste rather than espresso. I'd like to try it again with chocolate chips instead of the nuts and maybe baking it for 10 minutes instead of 12 for a softer texture.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

2008-12-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

submitted by reader Martha Zeleniak of Taylor, PA to American Profile Magazine

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened

Filling:
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12-ounce) can low-fat evaporated milk
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger, optional
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Topping:
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
Whipped cream, optional

Instructions
1. Preheat oven 350F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
2. To prepare crust, combine flour, oats, brown sugar and butter. Using a pastry blender or fork, stir until crumbly. Press into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes, or until partially set.
3. To prepare filling, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, granulated sugar, salt and spices. Pour over crust and bake 30 minutes.
4. To prepare topping, combine pecans, brown sugar and butter. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Makes 30 squares.

Delicious, a good alternative to pumpkin pie. I substituted hazelnuts to the pecans just because I had them on hand. As American as the sign above, I found both on our recent trip to New England.

New York, Vermont and New Hampshire

2008-10-19T03:33:00.001-07:00

That picture above will forever remind me of my return to my beloved New York City after a four-year break. Breakfast at Amai with Mike and a very sick Evan (the reason for the four-year break) as the city walks by-- we enjoyed some Matcha tea latte, green tea muffin and black bean square. I've been following Kelli's blog for years so we just had to visit her place. It was very lovely, a comforting haven in a big city with a sick child.

We stayed at a lovely B&B in Vermont where cows grazed outside our window. Evan fed the cows some apples as he slowly started to recover from his ear infection and high fever. I, on the other hand, was starting to get fierce headaches and body aches on this leg of the trip.

A nice walk through Sculptured Rocks in New Hampshire. Life is good.

Our vacation was marred with sickness, some sad news from my sister-in-law and moments when I just wanted to be at home, under the covers enjoying my warm Southern California sunshine but we met so many wonderful people and enjoyed such beautiful scenery. I came away with some good perspective on life and an appreciation for home and what I have.

Double Chocolate Brownie

2008-06-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

From Martha Stewart Living, 2005 Annual Recipes

Ingredients

Makes 9 large or 16 small squares.

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
* 6 ounces coarsely chopped good-quality semisweet chocolate
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 inches to hang over sides. Butter lining (excluding overhang); set pan aside.
2. Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate are melted. Let cool slightly.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
4. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat, scraping down sides of bowl, until well incorporated.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out brownies; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

I remember attending a summer cooking class when I was in my teens and where we made brownies using one big bowl. I wish that was the case with this recipe. Although this brownie tasted good, I wish it took less cleanup in the end.

I wish I had that brownie recipe from many years ago.

If I Lived in a Loft

2008-04-14T08:56:00.000-07:00

I hope my front door would look something like this:

My friends and I would hang out at this corner:

The bedroom, tucked upstairs, will be a secret hideout:

Perhaps I'd sip wine while taking in the view here:

And I'd have all the time to make beautiful things and play with this:

(Figs) Dates Wrapped In Bacon

2008-04-09T14:15:00.001-07:00

plus

equals

Want to hear something funny? When we bought the box of dates at Trader Joe's I thought we were buying figs fully intending to wrap them in bacon and bake them. I even served them to my friend Jenny and told them they were figs. What was I thinking? She was too polite to correct me, I'm sure.

Anyway I cut the bacon in half, wrapped them around each date and baked them for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees. Instant delicious hors d'ouvres.

Even though they are dates instead of figs. It works even without the blue cheese.

Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera

2008-03-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

From Everyday Food Magazine, April 2008

Ingredients
Serves 8
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for foil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1/2 pound carrots (4 to 5), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg
1 package (9 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles (12 to 16 noodles)
1 pound part-skim mozzarella, shredded
1 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add flour and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let flour mixture darken); whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach, peas, and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper.

In the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of vegetable sauce. Layer noodles, half the remaining vegetable sauce, another noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan; repeat.

Cover dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 20 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Everyday Magazine recipes have been a staple in our house these days. The recipes are just so easy and generally good. This yielded so much lasagna that I ended up freezing a third of this and we still ate lasagna for three days. Always a good thing in my book.

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Vegetables and Peanut Sauce

2008-03-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

From Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients (Serves 4)
8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 ounces snow peas, tough strings removed
3 medium carrots, halved, and shaved with a vegetable peeler
1 container (14 ounces) firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

Directions
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Add snow peas, carrots, and tofu to pot; immediately drain pasta mixture, and set aside.
In pasta pot, stir together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Add reserved pasta mixture; toss gently, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a thin sauce that coats spaghetti (you may not need all the water). Season as desired with salt and pepper. Serve.

I love this recipe. It's tasty and easy to make. A good one to take to pot lucks...

Fried Egg

2008-02-27T09:03:00.001-08:00

Only a few things could top a fried egg sandwich for breakfast in my book. This dish provided me with enough fuel to absorb lots of stuff in my advanced Photoshop class.

Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

2008-02-21T16:32:00.001-08:00

From Every Day Food, Great Food Fast

This was a christmas present from Evan. I love getting this magazine every month. The recipes are effortless and it is filled with lovely pictures. Same goes for the book, a collection of favorite recipes from the magazine.

With that said, this recipe was just okay for me. Maybe we should've eaten it right after it came out of the oven but timing is hard when dinner revolves around Evan's bedtime. What does make this recipe is the accompanying yogurt sauce with apples and cilantro. It balanced nicely with the flavor of the chicken.

I split the recipe in half this time around and substituted parsley for cilantro.

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts halves (10 to 12 ounces each)
2 Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 475°. In a large bowl, mix together 1/2 cup yogurt, garlic, turmeric, ginger, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken; turn to coat.

2. Transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 160°, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel apple; coarsely grate into a medium bowl. Add cilantro and remaining 1/2 cup yogurt; season with salt and pepper. Serve sauce alongside chicken, with rice, if desired.

Per serving (with out rice): 346 calories; 6.9 grams fat; 54.5 grams protein; 14.1 grams carbohydrates; 1.6 grams fiber

Low-fat Banana Bread

2008-02-06T00:12:00.001-08:00

I've been having a blast spending quality time with Evan this past two weeks. He starts pre-school next week and I can't believe we are at this stage in his life. It makes me sad that he is growing up so fast but I know these are exciting times as well.

At night as I tuck him into bed, he sometimes whispers asking me what I will cook in the kitchen. I give him my answer trying not to get him too excited that he fights off sleep. Here we are making low-fat banana bread, a recipe I've done a few hundred times taken from the Epicurious site.

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup smashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2-inch pan; dust with flour. Using electric mixer; beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick and light, about 5 minutes.

Mix in smashed bananas, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. I never have buttermilk so instead I substitute it for a milk and vinegar combination I found on the internet for ingredient substitutions.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt over mixture; beat until just blended.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. I always make them into muffins (not a loaf) for convenience's sake and bake them for about 40 minutes.

Bake bread until golden brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Turn bread out onto rack and cool.

Off to the park after baking with the promise of some cooled-down goodies when we get home.

Cherry Oatmeal Crunch Squares

2008-01-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

(Adapted slightly from the Essentials of Baking)

1 3/4 cups ap flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 cup/10-oz cherry jam or non-chunky preserves

Preheat the over to 325F and grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

In the food processor, combine flour, oats, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. I was too lazy (again) to pull out the food processor so I figured I'd use the pastry cutter.

Add butter and pluse 8-10 times, or until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs. Set aside 2 cups of this mixture. Grubby little toddler hands wanting in on some baking action.

Pour remaining crumb mixture into prepared pan and pack firmly against the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the pan.

Stir jam to loosen, then spread evenly onto this layer. I used what leftover jam we had in the fridge so we have the blueberries and peaches combination.

Top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until bars are a light, golden brown.
Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack, then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 25.

Christmas Present

2008-01-10T15:04:00.001-08:00

Mike gave me this new gadget for Christmas. I'm usually against getting another kitchen appliance 'cause I do not like how it clutters the kitchen.

But, this got me so excited because it would save me so much in prep time. I love that it is compact. I have a food processor which I've used only once because I hate taking it out of the cupboards.

Most wonderful feature? The retractable cord. I think I'm going to use this almost daily.

New Year

2008-01-04T13:12:00.001-08:00

An attempt to a healthy start in 2008. Broiled red snapper with herbs and vegetables.

I felt light and springy the next morning. Hoping to add more fish in our diet.

2008 Resolution

2008-01-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

I did it, I was able to do my 2007 food blogging resolution! Most of my posts were late but at least I held on to making something new once a month.

For 2008, I will stick to the same resolution (maybe do even more than one recipe per month) but I will start peppering my posts with step-by-step pictures just to make things more interesting around here.

Happy New Year!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recap

2007-12-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

This is a crowd-pleasing dish to serve on parties. Such an easy thing to put together and so yummy.

I substituted the monterey jack cheese with mozarella and it still came out good.

December: Spinach Artichoke Dip

2007-12-03T22:18:00.000-08:00

10 ounce package of chopped spinach
2 cans of artichoke
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1 cup of shredded monterey jack
salt and pepper to taste

1. Defrost and squeeze out the water out of the chopped spinach.

2. Drain and chop the artichoke.

3. Mix spinach and artichoke with 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese and 1 cup of shredded monterey jack. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Put it in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes and serve with cut vegetables or tortilla chips.

Truffle Tart Recap

2007-11-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

This recipe finally made me break out my Kitchen Aid Food Processor which was a wedding gift from five years ago. I don't like to put much stuff on my counter top so it has always stayed in the cabinets.

I have to say that using the food processor is the best way to make a pastry dough. Aside from all the advance work that need to be done on the dough, this recipe is pretty easy to make. The filling was a cinch.

Brandy was nowhere to be found on the cupboards so I substituted with Frangelico liquer. Step 6 was omitted and I just dusted confectioners' sugar over the whole thing.

November: Chocolate Truffle Tart

2007-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

From the book, "Chocolate, Cooking From The World's Best Ingredient"

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 egg yolk
1-2 tb. ice water
1 ouch white or milk chocolate, melted
heavy cream for serving (optional)

truffle filling:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tb. brandy or liqueur

1. Prepare the pastry. Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the flour mixture with the sugar and salt. Add the butter and process for 15-20 seconds, until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

2. In a bowl, lightly beat the yolk with the ice water. Add to the flour mixture and pulse until the dough begins to stick together. Turn out the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Use he film to help shape the dough into a flat disk. Wrap tightly. Chill for 1-2 hours, until firm.

3. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable base. Let the dough soften briefly, then roll it out between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap to an 11-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick. Peel of the top sheet and invert the dough into a tart pan. Reemove the bottom sheet. Ease the dough into the pan. Prick with a fork. Chill for one hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the tart with foil or baking parchment; fill with baking stones. Bake blind for 5-7 minutes. Lift out the foil with the stones, return the pastry shell to the oven and bake for another more 5-7 minutes until the pastry is just set. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.

5. To prepare the filling, in a medium pan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Stir in the butter and brandy. Strain into the prepared tart shell, tilting the pan slightly to level the surface. Do not touch the surface of the filling or it will spoil the glossy finish.

6. Spoon the melted chocolate into a prepared piping bag and cut off the tip. Drop rounds of chocolate over the surface of the tart and use a skewer or toothpick to draw a point gently through the chocolate to produce a marbled effect. Chill for 2-3 hours, until set. To serve, let the tart soften slightly at room temperature.

Tomato Sauce Recap

2007-10-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

This was a great and easy sauce to make. You really have to take a lot of taste and get the salt in there to make it to your liking. Next time I will try adding a bay leaf and some garlic to it.

October: Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter

2007-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Extracted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, cut up with their juice
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt

Put canned tomatoes in saucepan, add butter, onion and salt and cook uncovered at a slow and steady simmer for 45 minutes or until fat floats from tomato. Stir from time to time, mashing any large piece of tomato in pan with a wooden spoon. Taste and correct for salt. Discard onion and serve sauce with pasta. This recipe makes six servings.

Lighter Chicken Pot Pie Recap

2007-10-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

This was delicious. I used some roasted chicken pieces that we already had so it made it even faster to make since I did not have to cook the chicken. Will definitely make again.

September: Lighter Chicken Pot Pie

2007-09-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

From Every Day Food Magazine

Serves 6
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 1/4 cup melted butter
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups reserved stock from Poached Chicken
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 medium celery stalks, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Poached Chicken
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus about 1/2 cup leaves for crust and sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup slightly thawed frozen peas
6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup stock into the flour in a small bowl. Whisk into shallot mixture. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Add carrots and celery. Bring to a boil. Stir in chicken. Return to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley and tarragon. Let cool. Stir in peas. Transfer to a 2-quart (8 1/2-by-12-inch) baking dish.

Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Sprinkle with parsley leaves. Repeat with remaining phyllo, parsley, and butter; do not sprinkle parsley on final layer. (Keep unbuttered phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel.) Drape crust over cooled filling; tuck in edges. Cut four 4-inch slits in crust for vents. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

Bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and recut vents. Serve immediately in shallow bowls.

Lemon Spaghetti Recap

2007-09-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

Nice, so nice! I love that you can make the olive oil/parmesan cheese/lemon juice mixture eight hours ahead of time.

I made this for a small gathering and it was quick to put together right before serving the food. A keeper. Love it!

Letterpress goal: Design cards and figure out letterpress strategy for fall and winter.

August: Lemon Spaghetti

2007-08-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian Book

1 pound spaghetti
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.

Peach Pie Recap

2007-08-28T17:12:00.001-07:00

So I took great liberties at the recipe for July. I had about 3.5 pounds of peaches and used the Peach, Apricot, and Cherry Pie recipe to make peach pie. I also did not have cornstarch so I looked it up and substituted cornastarch with flour (1 tablespooon of cornstarch = 2 tablespoon of flour).

As for the pie crust, I used Trader Joe's frozen pie crust. I've had way too many heartaches with pie crusts so I made life easy for me and bought one at TJ's. After tasting the pie, I vowed never to make pie crust again. Trader Joe's crust is flaky and delicious plus, I did not even have to roll it out. I also did not do the lattice top but instead put another pie crust to cover the fruit, cutting slits to let the steam out. Deeeelicious!

Letterpress July Goal: Print wedding invitation order.

July: Peach, Apricot, and Cherry Pie

2007-08-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

All-Purpose Flour for dusting
Pate Brisée
1 pound fresh, ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into 1/4 inch thick wedges
1 pound fresh, ripe apricots, pitted and sliced into sixths
1 pound fresh, sweet cherries (like Bing), stemmed, pitted and halved
2/3 cup granulated sugar (makes for a tart pie, if you want it sweeter, increase to 3/4 cup)
3 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 tsp coarse salt
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablesoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Sanding sugar (or granulated), for sprinkling

On a piece of parchment paper generously dusted with flour, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate, pressing it into the edges. Trim dough to a 1/2 inch overhang all around. oll out remaining disk of dough in same manner; transfer (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Chill pie shell and dough for 30 minutes until firm, about 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss together peaches, apricots and cherries. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice; toss to combine. Remove baking sheet from the refrigerator; transfer dough to a clean work surface. Using pastry cutter (preferably fluted) or sharp knife, cut dough into 3/4 - 1 inch wide strips.

Spoon the chilled mixture and any juices into the chilled pie shell, mounding fruit slightly in the center. Dot with butter. Brush the rim of the pie shell with butter. Weave a tight lattice of dough strips on top of the fruit. Using kitchen scissors, trim dough strips to a 1/2 inch overhang; gently press top and bottom pieces to seal. Fold edges over and under, and crimp edge as desired.

In a small bowl, whip together egg yolk and cream; brush on latice and edge of pie shell, being careful not to let it pool. Generously sprinkle entire surface with sanding sugar. Freeze or refrigerate pie until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees, with the rack in the lower third.

Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature ro 350 degrees. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The pie is best eaten the same day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosley covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Vegetable Chowder Recap

2007-08-01T18:58:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, I've been lazy in the "getting the ingredients" department and mostly used what I had on hand. I split the recipe in half and used 1 cup half-and-half and 1/2 cup low-fat milk since I did not have whole milk on hand. I used a few potatoes 'cause I only had a few small potatoes around. I also used frozen corn and green beans instead of fresh.

This is a good and hearty soup. Surprisingly easy to make and very tasty.

June: Vegetable Chowder

2007-08-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

From Everyday Food Magazine

3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 medium red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups milk
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 ears corn, kernels removed (about 4 cups)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed, broken into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
Hot pepper sauce, for serving (optional)

In a Dutch oven or 5-quart pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add milk, potatoes, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in corn, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer until corn is tender, about 3 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer 3 cups of the solids to a blender; puree until smooth. Return to pot; add green beans. Bring to a simmer; cook until beans are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Season again with salt; serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Lots of changes

2007-08-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've been lapse with this blog and my New Year's resolution... a lot has happened. Got laid off at work. Been busy with various things-- freelance, updating resume, launching a design website and got my first wedding invitation order off of someone finding my letterpress site.

Those are my excuses but I plan to keep doing this, late or not.

Lychee Ice Cream Recap

2007-04-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

I used 2 cans of lychee (approximately 2 cups), substituted half and half for the milk and only used the juice of one lemon. Using half-and-half makes the consistency icy than creamy and it's nice with the lychee.

I really wished my ice cream maker had more capacity after having some last night.

May: Lychee Ice Cream

2007-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

1½ cups canned seedless lychees, drained & diced
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
¾ cup sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1. Combine the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan on double boiler; heat until warm and the sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup of the cream mixture to the yolks while whisking lightly. Gradually pour the egg mixture back into the cream mixture while continuing to whisk lightly.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the back of your spoon is thinly coated, about 8 minutes. Do not allow to boil or the ice cream custard mixture will curdle.

3. Add the lychee and lemon juice and let it cool in the refrigetator overnight.

4. Freeze in an electric or manual ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can put the ice cream custard in a bowl and put it in your freezer until frozen.

4 Servings

April: Carottes Rapées à l'Avocat

2007-04-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

[Grated Carrot Salad with Avocado]
from chocolate and zucchini blog

Cotilde writes: "In my defense, I never make this salad in exactly the same way: I use either lemon or orange juice, I throw in fresh herbs -- especially cilantro -- and shallots if I have them on hand, I use tofu or chicken or a soft-boiled egg depending on what the fridge has to offer, and on a couple of rejoicing occasions I've folded sprouted mustard seeds into the salad. But the basic structure, give or take the occasional riff, is outlined below."

Carottes Rapées à l'Avocat

- One small ripe avocado, about 150 grams (5 1/3 ounces), diced
- The juice of a lemon or an orange
- A dash of balsamic vinegar or oxymel
- Fine sea salt, freshly ground pepper
- Tabasco sauce or similar (I use Bayou Red) or strong mustard, to taste
- 4 medium carrots, about 450 grams (1 pound) total, peeled and grated
- 250 grams (9 ounces) firm tofu or cooked chicken, diced
- Toasted seeds -- sunflower, sesame, flax, or a mix thereof

Serves 2.

Combine the avocado, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar in a medium salad bowl, and mash the avocado roughly with a fork. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Fold in the carrots and tofu, and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for half an hour or up to a day. Toss again before serving, adjust the seasoning, and sprinkle with liberal amounts of toasted seeds.

Chicken Vesuvio Recap

2007-03-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

This was a good, solid recipe. I think what makes this dish really good is the butter added in the end. I just gives it a nice finish and complements the acidity of the artichokes nicely.

I discovered that when trying out new recipes, it takes me longer to cook everything so we end up eating dinner at around 10 pm. Not good. From here on, I will have to try out new recipes on the weekends.

Letterpress March Goal: take product photos and finish the website.

March: Chicken Vesuvio

2007-03-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis/Giada's Family Dinners Book

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breast with skin and bones , split in half crosswise
4 chicken thighs with skin and bones
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts or 1 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat the oil in large ovenproof pot over high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches if necessary, cook the chicken in the pot until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Carefully add the potatoes to the same pot and cook until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, oregano, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Cover and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a platter. Arrange the potatoes around chicken. Add the artichoke hearts to the sauce in the pot. Cover and simmer over high heat until the artichokes are tender, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to low. Stir in the butter. Pour the sauce over chicken and potatoes, and serve.

French Macaroon Recap

2007-03-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

This was the second recipe I tried.

This recipe from Gale Gand was easy to follow and I made sure my batter was stiff. The first batch of cookies were hard to peel off from the parchment paper and in the end, I used the technique suggested on the first recipe when baking the cookies. The secret is to put the cookie sheet on the top rack for 8 minutes then turn it around and put it in the middle rack for another 8 minutes. You could then put a second cookie sheet on the top rack to start baking the next batch.

The first recipe took a long time and the cookies were flat. I didn't even bother to make the filling. Although making the first batch was unsuccessful in my book, the cookies did turn out great tasting and had a very chewy nature which my sister-in-law Sherry liked.

Letterpress February Goal: Start printing the notecards and start re-designing the website.

February: French Macaroons

2007-03-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Recipe courtesy Gale Gand

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
7/8 cups almond flour
1/2 cup egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar
3 drops food coloring
1/4 cup water
Easy Buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Stir together the confectioners' sugar and almond flour and sift it through a tammie or very open mesh strainer. In a mixer with a whip attachment, whip the whites until frothy. Add the sugar (and food coloring if using) and whip until stiff. Add 1/3 of the almond mixture and fold part way in. Add another 1/3 and fold partway in. Add final 1/3 and fold in leaving a few specks of egg whites. It will look like deflated marshmallow. Place a pastry bag with a close pin holding it shut in a tall round container folding the edge over the rim of the container to fill it easily. Pipe dots of meringue at each corner to stick down some parchment paper on a sheet pan. Pipe rows of kisses 1-inch each (size of a quarter) one half inch apart. Bake about 17 minutes until very light brown. Pour 1/4 cup water under the parchment paper at both ends of the sheet to steam them loose. Let cool and peel off.

Easy Buttercream: In a mixer with a whip attachment whip the butter very well, scraping the bowl often until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low. Drizzle in the flavorings with the hot water. Chill up to a week until ready to use, then bring to room temperature.

Pipe macaroons with buttercream and make little sandwiches. Keep in a covered box chilled.

Split Pea, Beef and Barley Soup recap

2007-01-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

Delicious and filling, this soup is perfect for a cold and wintry night.

The catch? It took about two and a half to three hours to make. I did not realize how much chopping was required and I am a little slow in that department. Reading the recipe through, it was a cinch to make but it yielded a lot of soup. Toward the end, I had to split the soup in two pots because my pot was going to overflow.

A hearty and fulfilling soup. Next time, I'd split the recipe in half.

Letterpress January Goal: design a line of notecards (minimum 6).

January: Split Pea, Beef, and Barley Soup

2007-01-10T17:27:00.000-08:00

From Sunset Magazine, January 2007

Based on a recipe from Lainey Feingold, this soup combines the best qualities of two classic soups: the heartiness of split pea and the rich, nutty flavor of beef and barley. Prep and Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
5 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large onions, chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups green split peas (one 16-oz. package)
3/4 cup dried baby lima beans
3/4 cup pearl barley
5 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-in. pieces

1. Heat oil in a 9- to 10-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Season beef with 1 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper, then brown on all sides in two batches. Set aside.
2. Add onions, leek, parsnips, celery, and remaining 3 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Return beef to pot and add split peas, lima beans, and 4 qts. water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Add barley and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in carrots and cook 20 minutes more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per cup.

Yield: Makes about 8 qts. (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 155(19% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 0.9g); PROTEIN 11g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; SODIUM 401mg; FIBER 3.8g; CARBOHYDRATE 21g

new start

2007-01-05T15:06:00.000-08:00

So, I'm resurrecting this blog. It all started as a New Year's resolution of some sort.

Not one to be big on New Year's resolutions, I usually have goals set every year. General goals mostly and half the time I achieve them and half the time, I fail miserably.

Realizing that I may need to be more specific to achieve the ultimate goal, I'm making things simpler this year.

One goal is to make one new recipe a month from the countless magazines and cookbooks I have. A friend of a friend found out about my resolution and made an awesome suggestion: take photos of the stuff I make and at the end of the year, make a calendar filled with each month's recipe and photo. Brilliant!

I figured this blog will make me accountable for my monthly goal.

I do have another goal. That is to do something towards my letterpress business each month. I will not necessarily blog about that here but I will list my goal for the month. And maybe some pictures.

Gâteau de Mamy à la Poire

2005-11-07T14:44:00.000-08:00

This recipe was from Chocolates & Zuchinni and it turned out very well. She had a variation on a similar recipe on her blog where she omitted the ground almonds and substituted for more flour and I did that. Anyway, Evan loved this cake. It was light and fluffy and the pear is a great touch.

- 125g (1 stick plus 1 Tbsp) salted butter
- 4 large pears or 6 small ones (substitute apples, apricots, plums...)
- 150g (3/4 C) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 60g (1/2 C) all-purpose flour
- 20g (2 tablespoons) ground almonds
- Half of an envelope (1 1/2 tsp) baking powder

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside to cool. Butter a non-stick 8-inch cake pan.

Wash, peel and cut up the pears. Lay the pieces of fruit at the bottom of the pan.

In a food processor or a medium mixing-bowl, blend the sugar with the eggs until the mixture whitens slightly. Add in the flour, almond powder and baking powder, and blend well. Pour in the butter, and blend again. Pour the batter evenly over the fruit, and put into the oven to bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Let the cake settle on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Invert it on a plate (the fruit side will be on top). If any bit of fruit has stuck to the bottom of the pan, simply scrape them and place them back where they belong on the cake. Use a second plate to invert the cake again (the fruit side will then be at the bottom). Let cool and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Pear and Brie Quesadilla

2004-07-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since our move to the new house and we still haven't unpacked the kitchen. Our kitchen needs some help and to tell you the truth, I'm just not in the mood to look for our pots and pans right now. I have a couple of pyrex pans to bake with and my griddle so we do a lot of microwaving and baking these days.

A simple and good evening meal are Pear and Brie Quesadillas.

Brie your favorite brand
Pear, thinly sliced
Flour Tortilla
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray or Vegetable Oil spray

Spread the brie on the tortillas and arrange the sliced pears over half of the area. Fold the tortilla and spray the griddle (you can also use a pan) with the oil or butter. Put the quesadilla on the griddle and after a couple of minutes, flip over. Eat it while it's hot and the brie is in gooey goodness condition.

Great with a bowl of your favorite soup.

Asparagus with Honey Tangerine Butter Sauce

2004-04-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

My skill level in the kitchen is not quite adequate enough to magically come out with great food out of what I have in the cupboard but I try my best. Over the weekend, I saw Martha Stewart on the Food Network make White Asparagus with Orange Butter Sauce.

Last night, I had an idea for a sauce to compliment the asparagus we had on hand based on Martha's recipe. The sauce turned out so good that I could've lick that pot dry.

1 lb. Asparagus
3 Honey Tangerines
3 tb I Can't Believe It's Not Butter you can use unsalted butter
1 tb Dijon Mustard

Remove the stalks and trim the asparagus. In a pan, boil some water and add a bit of salt. Blanch asparagus for about a minute or two and drain. Set aside.

Squeeze the juice out of the honey tangerines. Put the juice in a pot along with the butter and let it reduce. When the sauce has reduced, quickly add the mustard and whisk until completely blended.

Arrange the asparagus on a plate and pour the sauce over it. The dish looks beautiful and it will be delicious.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2004-03-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

We put in a bid to buy a beautiful home this past weekend and there is nothing more nerve-wracking than waiting for the phone to ring.

Along with our offer, we put in a letter to the homeowners and tried to bribe them, their agent, and their neighbor Frankie with these cookies.

We didn't get the house. Although they liked us (and the cookies), 67k more than the asking price was too much to turn down.

1 cups (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup choc. chip cookies

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.

2. Add oats and chocolate chips; mix well.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie or 10 to 11 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Shrimp with Spicy Orange Flavor

2004-03-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

Emmie was over to watch the Academy Awards the other night and I had a package of shrimp in the fridge. I quickly went on the Martha Stewart website and found this recipe courtesy of Mark Bittman.

It was light and delicious and we served it over some couscous. Add a glass of wine and it makes a satisfying meal.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 or 4 large cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
2 or more small dried hot red chiles
Grated zest of one orange
Freshly squeezed juice from one orange
16 large shrimp, peeled
Coarse salt
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

Combine oil and garlic in a skillet no larger than 10 inches across. Turn the heat to medium, and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle, then turn the heat to medium-low. When garlic is blond, stir in chiles, orange zest, and orange juice. Add shrimp, and raise the heat to high.

Cook, stirring occasionally and sprinkling with salt, until the shrimp are all pink, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and add most of the cilantro and the lemon juice. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with the remaining cilantro.

Carrot Soup

2004-02-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I take it for granted just how easy it is to make soup. Here's an old stand-by that I've been making lately.

Carrots (about 8 sticks)
Chicken stock
fresh dill or ginger

In a soup pan, put carrots, chopped ginger or dill and cover with chicken stock (just enough to cover the carrots). If you don't have chicken stock, I use water and a teaspoon of "Better than bouillon." Boil the water until the carrots are tender.

When the carrots are soft, put it and some of the stock from the pan in a blender until smooth. You may have to do this in batches. Return the smooth paste into the pan and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This soup will be thick. If you want a thinner consistency, add more water or stock. Some people add cream but this soup doesn't really need it unless you're going for the creamy taste. It's sweet and fresh just as it is.

Smashed Peas

2004-02-04T10:44:00.000-08:00

Everyday Food magazine quickly became my favorite food magazine. Every month, I go through the pages and admire the beautiful photos, the recipes with ingredients I could easily get at the store, and the ways they dissect food: featuring a simple product such as a tomato and showing you the different kinds and which one to use with what recipe.

One of the first recipes I made from Everyday Food is the smashed peas, a great accompaniment to any main dish.

2 packages frozen peas
1/4 cup water
salt
2 tb butter
2 tb milk

In a saucepan, boil the peas in water with the salt until the peas get tender. Put 3/4 of the peas in a food processor until it gets mashed and return it to the pot with the rest of the peas. Add the milk and butter and mix in while the butter melts.

Note: Since I'm often too lazy to clean another gadget, I just mash all the peas with a potato masher. The end product is lumpy but it's still good.

Magnolia Cupcakes

2004-01-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

"Is the batter supposed to be thick?"

"Uhm... I think so but it should be very fluffy too."

"Yeah, it's fluffy."

My sister-in-law had some extra time on her hands yesterday to make Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes. A visit to New York is never complete without a stop on 11th and Bleeker where Magnolia Bakery resides. As you walk through the door, the lingering smell of butter dances through the air.

I'm amazed that the people at Magnolia shared their recipe for these beloved cupcakes but I'm very grateful as well. This is the real deal and to my knowledge, didn't leave anything out. We made them on our recent visit with Mike's parents for my father-in-law's birthday and everyone was impresses, including us.

I secretly think that Magnolia shared its recipe because they know that in these days of instant gratification, why make a batch when you can get it for under $2?

Magnolia Bakery Traditional Vanilla Birthday Cake and Frosting

CAKE
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cups (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
8 cups confectioners' sugar we used 7 cups
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

At Magnolia we decided to make our cake not quite a traditional yellow cake or a traditional sponge cake, given the use of whole eggs in our recipe. We're sure you'll agree this recipe is moist, delicious and makes a beautiful layer cake or cupcakes for birthdays or any celebration. Frost with pink buttercream icing and lots of colored sprinkles as we do, and feel as though you're at your seventh birthday party all over again!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three 9- x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.

2. To make the cake: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide batter among the cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

3. If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a rack before icing. When cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice top and sides of cake.

4. To make the icing: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may very well not need all of the sugar). If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled. Can store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

2004-01-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

The Food Channel is one of my favorite network and has been a default channel on our television. At first, watching Giada De Laurentiis scared me because her head seems to be way bigger than her body. But soon, she won me over by her easy style, effortless recipes and how she seems to enjoy biting into whatever delicious creation she just made.

I wanted to try the Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe as soon as I watched Giada make it because it seemed like a fast recipe with simple ingredients and besides, I've never cooked broccoli rabe before. It turned out to be delicious and we had enough leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day.

2 bunches broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
1 pound orecchiette pasta I didn't have any on hand so I used farfalla instead
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound turkey Italian-style sausage, casings removed there was only chicken sausage at the store
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool, saving the cooking water. Bring the reserved cooking water back to a boil.
Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a spoon, until browned and juices form, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, when the reserved cooking water is boiling, add the orecchiette and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Strain the broccoli rabe and add it to the pan with the sausage mixture and toss to coat with the juices. Add the pasta to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately.