>-< Kitchen Surprises >-<

3 - 2 - 1 Cake!

2012-01-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

This was a recipe passed on from a friend via email. I haven't tried it simply because I don't have a microwave, but if I did, I would be trying it out right away!

This is perfect for those of us with just one or two in the house these days, hate to make a huge cake. This way you can make one 1, 2, 3, or as many as you need.

3, 2, 1 CAKE

These individual little cakes are amazing and ready to eat in one minute! They are perfect for whenever you feel like a treat without all the fat and calories that cake can have. Genius idea!

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Angel Food Cake Mix

1 box Cake Mix - Any Flavor

DIRECTIONS:

In a Ziploc bag, combine the two cake mixes and mixes well. For each individual cake serving, take Out 3 Tablespoons of the cake mix combination and Mix it With 2 Tablespoons of water in a small microwave-safe Container. Microwave on high for 1 minute, and you have your own instant individual little cake!

KEEP remaining cake mixture stored in the Ziploc bag And use whenever you feel like a treat! You can top each cake with a dollop of fat free whipped topping and/or some fresh fruit.

Helpful Tips:

This recipe is called 3, 2, 1 Cake because all you need to remember is

"3 tablespoons mix,
2 tablespoons water,
1 minute in the microwave!"

TRY various flavors of cake mix like carrot, red velvet, pineapple, lemon, orange, etc. Just remember that one of the mixes has to be the angel food mix; the other is your choice. The flavor possibilities are endless!

NOTES:

The best thing is, you open both cake mixes into a gallon Storage bag, one that 'zip locks' or 'self-seals', or a Container that seals tightly, shake the two cake mixes to Blend and then make the recipe. Storage of mix is simple, put it on a shelf. No need to refrigerate, since the mix is dry.

Always remember, that one of the cake mixes MUST be Angel Food. The other can be any flavor. The Angel Food is the cake mix that has the eggs whites in it. So, if, anyone is allergic to egg whites, you cannot serve this recipe.

Harmony Valley Website Scavenger Hunt

2011-08-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

Find the answers to the following questions on our website and get a FREE package of Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix!

1. Link your favorite HV recipe on the site!

Harmony Valley Breakfast Scramble

This is a particularly delicious way to begin your day! This recipe can be made with either tofu or egg. It is flavorful and a great way to start your daily intake of protein. ENJOY!

Can't wait to try this out. I love eggs in the morning and have already used Soyrizo to scramble. Plus, I love the fresh tofu I can get in the local markets here in Cambodia.

2. Where can you find HV near you?

There really isn't a local retailer that sells HV Vegetarian mix to my dismay. I'll look for it at our local natural foods store, though, called New Frontiers.

3. How do you make Harmony Valley Vegetarian Mix?

I cook it up with taco seasoning and use it for tacos, burritos and taco salads. So yummy to just have on hand for any of the above.

Pancakes

2011-01-25T03:31:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Mom Most Traveled, Can Can, for providing this recipe. I look forward to trying this out with a few modifications for here in Cambodia, such as substituting soy milk for rice milk, using regular oil, and adding bananas instead of blueberries and walnuts.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients (have at room temperature):
2 eggs
1/4 cup rice milk
2 Tbsp oil (walnut, almond, grapeseed or corn)
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Dry Ingredients (have at room temperature):
3/4 cup rice flour (or 1/2 cup rice flour and 1/4 cup corn flour)
3/4 tsp non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 or 2 Tbsp oil for frying (coconut or corn)
1/8-1/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
1/8 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine. Be sure to have the griddle heating to a medium temperature. Blend in blueberries and walnuts if used. Makes about 5 five inch cakes. Smother in maple syrup.

If using fruit in the batter, covering the cakes when cooking helps ensure they will be done throughout. A little more baking powder makes for thicker, fluffier cakes, and a little less makes thinner more dense cakes.

Crock Pot Oatmeal

2010-11-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

This recipe was passed on from a friend who spent some time in India and used to make up large batches of oatmeal to eat cold. She stayed with my mom for a week or so, making her oatmeal and my mom fell in love.

This recipe also comes from her, but is a warm version that is mostly hands-free. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups milk (can be nonfat, whole, 1/2 & 1/2 or soy, or any combination of milk product)
Cinnamon to your liking

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and stir. Turn crock pot on LOW and cook for 6-8 hours; or cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

The recipe can be doubled. Additionally, feel free to any sweeteners that you like. Honey is good, as well as agave nectar (my personal favorite, though I add it to my individual servings and not the whole batch). Nuts or raisins are tasty compliments, too.

Zucchini Bread

2010-10-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have a giant zuchhini that a friend brought over and it has been patiently waiting to be made into something. This vegie is the size of a kiddie bat. That's not an exaggeration. I'm sure I'll have plenty to make hundreds of batches of bread.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Recipe provided by Rutiz Family Farms, my local organic farm that's just around the corner.

Polenta and Oatmeal Cookie Recipes

2010-10-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

I was reading through the San Luis Obispo Country Fall 2010 magazine and ran across the "In the Kitchen..." section. Featured was Italian Beef Stew and Polenta, as well as Banana Oatmeal Cookies (circa 1970). I wanted publish these recipes so I could come back to them later.

Polenta recipes from Darlene Rotta. Both recipes are simple and easy. I'm looking forward to using up my polenta with fish.

Cookie recipe from Mike Allen. I think this is a great way to use up those overripe bananas that seem to accumulate in my house. Dont' throw out! Just toss them in your freezer (or maybe it's better to gently place them.)

Italian-Style Polenta

4 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter (optional)
Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Bring water to a boil and gradually add polenta and salt; stir constantly until thickened.

Reduce heat and stir frequently for about one hour. Add butter and cheese, if you wish, just before removing from pan.

American-Style Polenta (microwave)

3 cups water
3/4 cup polenta
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix water, polenta and salt in a three-quart bowl. In microwave, cook six minutes on high. Stir well. Cook again for six minutes. Stir and cook for five more minutes. It is ready to serve.

You may add butter and cheese at the end, if you wish.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda + 1/4 tsp. for bananas
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (mix in the 1/4 tsp. baking soda)
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Sift dry ingredients--flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. baking soda--into mixing bowl. Cut in shortening. Add egg, bananas, rolled oats and nuts. Beat until thoroughly blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, in a 350-degree oven, or until edges are browned. Remove from pan immediately and cool on rack.

Makes about 3 dozen. Recipe can be doubled if desired.

70% cocoa or bust!

2010-01-03T00:27:00.000-08:00

I have become a fan of dark chocolate that has 60%+ cocoa.

In fact, I treated myself to Trader Joe's holiday Chocolate Palette offering of 8 bars of "distinctive origin" chocolate made with a minimum of 60% cocoa. (Ironically, the Venezuelan chocolate bar has been my favorite so far.)

I'm halfway through Ghana (70%), and loving it, too. Mmm...I just enjoyed a small piece of it now.

I still have Sao Thome and Papua New Guinea (both 70%).

But, what this post is really about is getting my hands on 336 minibars of Ritter Sport! My friend CanCan over at MomMostTraveled is having a giveaway! Check it out, or NOT and let me win them!

Ritter Sport has lots of new flavors, and even one that is Extra Fine Dark Chocolate (71% cocoa) made with Arriba cocoa from Ecuador. I can't wait to try that one!

I became a fan of Ritter Sport in 1992 as an exchange student in Denmark. There were much fewer varieties back then, but I loved savoring every last bite of my Ritter Sport bars. Every time I see one it brings back such wonderful memories. Thank you Ritter Sport!

CAMBODIA: Pepper Farmers Get Ready for their Champagne Moment

2009-12-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

By Robert Carmichael

PHNOM PENH, Dec 8 (IPS) - Under a shady trellis of rice sacks in the province of Kampot in southern Cambodia, 42-year-old Nuon Yan tends his crop of pepper vines.

Small-scale farming is a tough occupation, with prices and weather unpredictable and the cost of inputs high. But Nuon Yan knows a good idea when he sees one. When he heard about an opportunity to double the money he was making from black pepper, he jumped at it.

That opportunity is to register the prized variety of pepper that he and neighbouring farmers grow – known as Kampot Pepper – for Geographical Indicator, or GI, status. Kampot pepper is highly regarded by some chefs in Europe and the United States as one of the world’s finest pepper varieties.

If the term GI sounds unfamiliar, the concept itself is much better understood, says Jean-Marie Brun, an advisor at GRET, a French non- governmental organisation involved in getting Kampot pepper its GI status.

The most famous GI product is champagne. In fact, says Brun, GI is what makes champagne champagne rather than sparkling wine. Unless bubbly is grown in a specific part of France to specific rules and meets a certain quality standard, it may not be marketed as champagne.

That, in a nutshell, is GI, and it will work exactly the same way with Kampot pepper. The added advantage is that Nuon Yan and the 130 other members of the newly formed Kampot Pepper Producers’ Association (KPPA) – most of whom are also farmers – decide on the rules and the quality standard.

Brun says any grower who meets the requirements can join the association, and once GI is registered it is protected under World Trade Organisation rules.

"The right to use the name Kampot pepper once it is registered belongs to anybody that complies with a certain number of requirements," says Brun. "The stakeholders decide on the delimitation of the area, how it should be produced and the quality criteria."

Brun explains that farmers like Nuon Yan, who currently earns 2.50 U.S. dollars per kilo for his crop, will likely double their income when GI status is confirmed.

Complying with GI does bring added costs, but Brun says these typically equate to five percent of the extra income. In the case of Kampot pepper, and because it is early days for the KPPA, the costs of compliance are higher than that – currently around 10 percent – but they will decline as more members join.

Farmers like Nuon Yan benefit as a direct result of providing a product that consumers can buy safe in the knowledge that it has attained a certain quality standard and is what it claims to be. But that assurance is worth nothing unless someone ensures the members abide by their own standards.

That policing role is performed by the KPPA itself and an independent auditor. The KPPA is based in a small room in a shady grove five kilometres outside the provincial town of Kampong Trach in Kampot province. KPPA deputy head, En Trou, explains that growers have had a tough time in the past.

"Because they were not able to market Kampot pepper and didn’t have much money, the farmers faced many problems trying to earn enough to support their families," he says. "We also found that other growers were using the name Kampot pepper on their products."

But the advent of GI status, which will be confirmed in a matter of weeks, should start to resolve that. En Trou is confident that the future will be brighter for the association’s members, who currently harvest 14 tons of pepper annually.

"I am hopeful that in another five years we will have increased the number of producers to 150, and be selling between 20 and 30 tons a year," he says.

The man in charge on the government side is Var Roth San, who heads the intellectual property department at the Ministry of Commerce. Among the powers wielded by his department is the power to revoke the GI registration for Kampot pepper should the independent auditor find the KPPA is shirking its role to maintain standards.

"The association must form control within themselves to keep the quality good," he points out. "Therefore the price of GI products increases. If [there is] no control within themselves or by an international organisation, who will believe [that their product is high quality]?"

Var Roth San says getting GI status for Kampot pepper links directly with the strategy of government and donors to reduce widespread rural poverty. Around 80 percent of the country’s people live in rural areas, and more than half the eight million-strong labour force is involved in agriculture, so boosting rural livelihoods is critical for Cambodia.

"We want to create jobs, and we want our poor to get more money from their work in the rural area," he says. "GI law is one thing that will help the poor in the rural areas."

Although GI for Kampot pepper will benefit at most a couple of hundred farmers, the government plans to roll out the initiative for other products too, including palm sugar from Kampong Speu province and honey from the northeastern province of Ratanakkiri. But Kampot pepper will be the first.

Back on his one-fifth hectare pepper plot in Kampot province, Nuon Yan explains that his rice crop has to date generated more income than the pepper he harvests from his 300 pepper vines. Last year he made around 400 U.S dollars from selling 150 kilograms of pepper.

But he is clearly banking on Kampot pepper’s potential.

"If I can sell my pepper for a higher price, then it is possible that one day I could earn more from pepper than from rice," he says.

Nuon Yan has an eye on that future possibility. He will deposit some of the extra money he will earn in the bank and put the rest towards buying more pepper vines. He and the other members of the association are banking that Kampot pepper’s GI status will result in a more secure future for them and their families.

I love how Cambodian pepper is so aromatic. A little goes a long way! I grind it fresh in my mortar to add a spicy zing to many dishes.

Cinnamon Honey Sweet Potatoes

2009-12-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

This was a well-liked side dish to go with Thanksgiving dinner, thanks in part to Pillsbury and their November 17, 2009 issue of Thanksgiving.

I love cinnamon and honey, so partnered together with butter and sweet potatoes made for a winning combination.

Ingredients
5 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp grated fresh lemon peel
1/2 cup honey
4 lb medium sweet potatoes (about 8-10)

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 325 F. Brush 13x9-inch (3 quart) glass baking dish with melted butter. To remaining butter, stir in cinnamon, salt, lemon peel and honey; set aside.

2. Peel sweet potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in baking dish. Drizzle with half of the honey mixture; stir to evenly coat potatoes.

3. Cover tightly with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; spoon remaining honey mixture on top. Recover; bake 20 t0 30 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

This is such an easy recipe, and the honey and cinnamon makes the sweet potatoes so yummy!

Plus it's great with any main dish, or just by itself.

Maybe next time I'll try agave nectar in place of the honey for a different approach. I might even try this with roasting some squash I've got.

Beef Lok Lak

2009-08-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

MckLinky Blog Hop: Favorite Recipe

Lunch on Friday was Beef Lok Lak. I prefer to cook it myself, but this was tasty enough.

Making it is very simple. All you need is some beef that you slice into bite-sized pieces, steamed rice, freshly sliced cucumber, tomato and onion with some lettuce leaves, and finally a sauce made of freshly ground pepper, salt and lime juice squeezed over at the last minute.

Prepare a large platter layering the vegetables starting with lettuce leaves on the bottom, then followed by cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add some oil and minced garlic. Cook until slightly golden. Add the beef, stirring quickly to cook it, but not too long.

When the beef is mostly cooked, add a Tablespoon or two of sugar and soy sauce. Allow that to bubble up into a sauce. Turn off heat. Pour beef with sauce directly over the vegetables.

Squeeze the lime juice into the salt and pepper. Mix up. Serve with rice.

Eat Lok Lak by taking a piece of beef, vegetable, rice and add a little of the salt and pepper sauce onto a spoon.

Fried Ginger with Pork

2009-07-11T03:05:00.000-07:00

Image originally uploaded on Flickr by drkigawa

This dish is another standard in my repertoire of Cambodian cooking. It's simple and tasty.

Here's what you'll need:

200 grams of pork cut into bite-sized pieces
1 ginger root, peeled and grated
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
oil

Here's how you do it:

Add oil to a heated wok or frying pan. Add garlic and brown slightly. Add the ginger and stir fry til it is well cooked, then add the pork. Cook until no longer pink.

Transfer to a dish. Add some chopped green onions. Serve with steamed rice.

Grated ginger image from Anna Parabrahma

Fried Rice with Sausage

2009-06-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

OK, so this is the ultimate "I'm afraid of eating anything strange, so I'll stick with something I know" food. Actually, it's a simple dinner that's inexpensive and filling all at the same time.

Fried rice is made with pre-cooked rice that has been chilled or cooled. There are several mystery sauces added to the fry, but mainly there is oil, chili sauce, egg and vegetables. The vegetable usually consist of bits of carrot and sliced stem pieces of collard greens.

I like my fried rice with bits of sausage because the sausage here is a bit sweet. The rice is fried up in a large wok with lots of stirring to keep it moving and thoroughly cooked.

Finished fried rice is place on an oval plate (no other style of plate is used) and served with a bowl of broth that either has a meatball or a bone in it along with some herbs. You can also order a fried egg to go on top of your fried rice.

Add some chili sauce and soy sauce to the rice and stir it in, then enjoy a tasty evening treat!

Note: real fried rice is only available at night, along with fruit shakes and fried noodles. There are stalls set up around town in designated places. Foreigner price: 5,000 Riel ($1.25). Local price: 3,000 Riel ($0.75).

Back to Cambodian Food!

2009-06-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to be back in Cambodia enjoying Cambodian food. There is just nothing else that compares to the yumminess of food here. Besides that, if you get tired of Cambodian food there's plenty of Western food to enjoy.

Back to eating sour soup and rice, mom's cooking at the cottage with roasted salted fish.

I love the noodle soup in the morning at the Soup Dragon with iced coffee (no milk this time). It's become the place for locals to do business in the morning. I just enjoy watching the pubs open and clean up for a fresh day ahead.

Of course there is also the yummy street snacks of fresh fruit, roasted bananas, and roti with sweetened condensed milk.

Come on over to savor the flavors of Cambodia!

Polish Cabbage and Noodles Dish

2009-06-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

OK, so this dish was inspired by an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives that I briefly caught. It was some Polish restaurant. I know there's a funny Polish name for this dish, but of course it escapes my memory.

I was mesmerized by this dish because 1) it was so simple, and 2) I had all of the ingredients sitting in my fridge. The Cal Poly Organic Farm cabbage heads from my CSA boxes have been crying out to be turned into something delicious, and one can only eat so much coleslaw.

So, I did a little online investigating and discovered many recipes for this dish. It's really very simple. All you need is:

1/2 head of sliced cabbage
1-2 yellow onions, sliced
1/2 package of egg noodles (other noodles will do, but these are the tastiest)
1 kielbasa sausage
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
salt & pepper to taste (I used my mortar to grind some fresh white Cambodian Kampot pepper)

Fill your pasta pot with water to start it boiling.

Get the butter melted in a BIG frying pan, or wok. Add the yellow onions and cook on medium-low until tender then turn down to low to start carmelizing them.

Slice the kielbasa into somewhat thin rounds. Cook over medium heat in a skillet to brown them on each side.

If the water's boiling, add the egg noodles and boil them according to directions on package.

Add the cabbage once the onions are a nice golden brown and let that stir-fry until tender. Once nice and tender, add the egg noodles along with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the kielbasa slices and stir in the sour cream. Allow it to continue cooking on low for a few more minutes.

Oila! Scoop into a bowl and have yourself some delicious Polish comfort food.

Feel free to veg it up a bit by add more vegetables in the onion and cabbage stir-fry and leave out the sour cream. Consider using another cheese, or none at all.

Easy standby stirfry

2009-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Fried Tofu with Collard Greens

I love making this as it is so simple and easy and I can let the tofu cook first while cutting up the rest of the vegetables.

Before starting, get your rice started cooking, either in a rice cooker or on the stove top. Rice can always stay warm if it is ready before the stir-fry.

Cube very dense tofu and place in a hot wok with oil. Sprinkle some sugar and salt over the top. Cover and let brown.
Minced several cloves of garlic to place with the tofu after the first side is browned.
Slice 1/2 of a yellow onion. Cut the stems out of the collard greens, then thinly slice the leaves. Select another vegetable of your choice. I like broccoli, cauliflower or carrots, but any will do.
When the tofu is brown on one side, turn all the cubes over. Add the minced garlic. Continue cooking until the second side is brown.
Add the most dense vegetable first (i.e. cauliflower). Add a 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover to let cook. After about 1 minute, stir in onions leaving the collard green leaves for the last item to be added.
If necessary, add more salt and/or sugar.
Add the vegetable mix to a plate or bowl of steamed Jasmine rice.

Enjoy! It should take less than 30 minutes.

Season's Baking

2008-12-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

I am on a huge kick of using fresh vegetables and ingredients while trying to avoid using canned or packaged products. I like the idea of going back to cooking origins by making things from scratch.

Thanksgiving was a great time for cooking from scratch. I have learned everything I need to know about roasting a turkey from my mom. She learned from her mom (who actually hated cooking and was always looking for shortcuts), but expanded upon what my grandmother did to create her own traditions.

Unfortunately, I didn't participate in preparing the turkey for roasting since I was working that morning. However, I did all the shopping for the ingredients so I got to choose what we would eat this year. And, I did get to prepare the mashed potatoes and a "new" way of preparing yams using fresh ones instead of canned yams. More to come on that later.

Here's the menu of our traditional Thanksgiving feast:

Roasted Turkey (Norbest) - roasted with the stuffing inside the bird
Stuffing (though I never eat my mom's) - white bread torn into small bits and mixed with the turkey's inards that have been cooked with onions and celery and lots of poultry seasoning
Mashed Potatoes - I wanted to use broth, but was overruled and used milk and butter with salt & pepper to taste (should have used my Cambodian pepper)
Yams - I prepared these on the stove top in a skillet
Creamed Corn (a recipe given from a longtime family friend) - canned corn & whipping cream, 'nuf said!
Cranberry Sauce (homemade from whole cranberries) - we prefer this to the canned stuff, hands down.
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (not my choice, but there's been an excess of these in the fridge.)

Recipe for Skillet Yams
(as half-heard from a morning news show while I was getting ready for work)
4-5 medium yams (the red/orange ones), peeled and cubed
1-2 cups chicken, turkey or vegie broth
1 cup brown sugar
2-4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil

Directions
Place oil in bottom of large skillet (cast iron is preferred, though any will do). Add cubed yams, broth, butter and brown sugar. Stir and cover. Cook on medium heat until bubbling, then turn to low to simmer until the liquid becomes a thick brown sauce. Remove from heat and serve.

The first time cooking these for Thanksgiving this year I got caught up talking with a dinner guest and they overcooked, but were still very tasty!

Homemade Pumpkin and Banana Breads

2008-11-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

I was feeling very culinary when I woke up yesterday morning. Plus I knew I had to bake something for a brunch the next day.

I have modified my mother's original recipes for both of these sweet breads (cakes are a more fitting description). Instead of white flour I used whole wheat flour. Instead of milk, I used soy milk. Instead of candied Maraschino cherries, I used dried Goji berries (it was either those or dried currents). Everything else was more or less according to her recipes.

The result is a denser, less sickeningly sweet bread, though still sweet because of those chocolate chips that must go into the Banana Bread. Once you starting using chocolate chips, you'll never go back.

My sister modified the Banana Bread recipe by adding cocoa powder to it. It was different from my mom's, yet tasty, too!

[I'm tired and will post the recipes later.]

Vegetarian Chili (from scratch)

2008-11-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

I started making this chili when I was teaching English in China in 2002-03. We had very cold winters but very warm apartments and nothing better to do but have potlucks in each other's places. I think I made chili at least 3-4 times. I discovered the beans in the market place and the vegetables were just so dang cheap then!

Other people brought over the fixings and sides to go along with the chili such as: corn bread, grated cheese (a luxury in China!), vegetables, drinks, etc.

Beans are not for "hurry up and eat" kind of people. This takes time: at least 4 hours must be set aside for the process.

The Beans
I generally like to use black beans, but a variety of beans can also be fun. More recently I used a combination of black, red and Peruvian dried beans.

Be sure to wash and pick through the beans to take out any non-beans (such as pebbles).

For this recipe I used 1 cup each of the black, red and Peruvian beans and used the quick cooking method. Place the dried beans in a really big soup pot and a good 6-8 cups of water. Bring the dried beans to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 1 hour.

During this 1 hour wait time I like to prep my add-ins.

The Veggies
1 1/2 - 2 bell peppers (capsicum): green and/or red, diced
1 onion, diced
2-3 large tomatoes, peeled* and diced
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
Chili powder, to taste
Garlic powder and/or freshly minced garlic, to taste
Salt, to taste

*To remove the skin from a tomato, stick a fork in it and hold it over open flame if you have a gas stove. You will hear the tomato hiss and pop. If you're unfortunate enough to have only electric, gently drop them in already boiling water, remove quickly and place in ice water. The skins will be ready to slip right off!

Back to the Beans
When your 1 hour is up, pour the beans and water into a colander (which is already in your sink). Rinse well, then put back into your big soup pot. Add all the above ingredients except for the spices as that can be done later. You can add a little water to this if you think it's too thick.

Boil the mixture for up to 2 hours, or until the beans are softened (you can tell by tasting), stirring occasionally. In the last 1/2 hour, add the spices and make sure you taste it until you have the right combination.

Some other stuff
While the beans are cooking you can bake some cornbread, prepare some garlic bread, grate some cheese, cook up some rice or spaghetti.

In China we ate a lot of rice and since there were 11 mouths to feed (plus 3 young men), we prepared a lot of rice to put in the bowl of chili to make it go farther.

My mom likes to have chili over spaghetti for some reason. I grew up eating it that way, too, and now it's kind of like a comfort food.

Once your beans are finished, you will have tons to eat! Why not make your chili into an event or special day and invite people over to enjoy the fruit of your cooking. Maybe even ask them to potluck the fixings and sides? Or, bring over 1/2 the pot to a neighbor (that's what we do!) Otherwise I recommend freezing at least 1/2 of the pot to savor later.

Cakes for the Fall Festival

2008-10-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

I chose to bake cakes for the church's Fall Festival (aka the big event to replace Halloween) instead of volunteering to corral children. I made one last year, too.

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (I used white)

1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding

3/4 c. canola oil

3/4 c. water

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or any other baking nut)

1 cup cinnamon and sugar mixture

Mix together all ingredients at high speed for 8 minutes (this just seemed too long, so I only mixed for about 4 minutes). Grease bundt pan well with a pastry brush (or a good 'ol paper towel with butter smeared on it). Sprinkle 1 cup chopped nuts into pan; spread around. Nuts will cling to grease! Place 1/3 batter in pan; sprinkle with connamon and sugar mixture (and I added some of the nuts). Place another 1/3 of mixture in pan; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (more nuts). Place remaining 1/3 of batter in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or more, until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and turn over onto cake plate.

Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake

Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 pkg. fudge cake mix (I used German chocolate cause that's all I had)

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup cold coffee

1 (12 oz.) pkg fudge chocolate chips (or any will do)

Mix everything together EXCEPT the chocolate chips. Then add chips and mix some more. Pour into well greased Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool and turn over onto cake plate. Top with Glaze Frosting.

Glaze Frosting

2 Tbsp. soft or melted butter

1/4 cup cocoa (the good kind for baking)

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring (or any flavor you like)

Powdered sugar (add a little at a time)

Milk (add a little at a time)

Mix all the ingredients together to desired consistency. Pour over cooled cake and top with chopped nuts.

I really wanted to keep the chocolate cake to eat myself, but knew that I would eat the whole thing. I'll just have to make another one.

They were both easy to make, though slightly modified from their internet recipes, as usual.

Chicken Stock and Soup

2008-10-20T15:32:00.001-07:00

I have been craving homemade chicken soup, but it's been too warm here on the Central Coast to justify making a big batch of it. I finally bought a whole chicken to cook for the stock and figured I should just go ahead with it since it can be frozen rather easily.

As I sit here I can smell the stock cooking. I should probably go check it to make sure it's not bubbling over. My mom hates when I let things spill then forget to clean up the burners.

Ingredients for Chicken Stock
1 whole chicken
1/2 celery bunch, chopped
1 onion roughly chopped

Method
In a very large stock pot, place the chicken, celery and onions with water to cover it. Boil until the chicken is tender and pulls easily from the bones.

Remove chicken and let cool. Pour the water (now chicken stock) through a sieve into a bowl to remove the pieces of celery, onion and any chicken. Keep the chicken, toss the veggies.

At this point you can either freeze the stock for later use or keep it to make a giant pot of soup now. (I froze half of mine for later.)

For the chicken, remove all the meat from the bones. Throw away any remaining bones, cartilege and any other undesirable parts. Cut or tear the meat into more bite-sized pieces to use in your soup (or freeze for a later use).

Chicken and/or Vegetable Soup - use only veggies if you like
1 quart soup stock/broth (use your chicken stock from above or any box/can broth)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 med potatoes, chopped; and/or rice; and/or noodles; and/or cooked beans
any combination of chopped fresh, canned or frozen vegetables (I know, but sometimes I use them), but I prefer to use seasonal veggies
2-3 chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
chopped, cooked chicken; or sausage; or ground meat; or cooked turkey
1 Tbsp oil (olive is my choice)
salt, pepper and other favorite seasonings to taste (I like lemon pepper)

Method
Prepare all your veggies in advance (cause it makes it easier when it's time to add them to the soup).

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in bottom of soup pot. Add chopped onion. Let cook until translucent (so that they turn from yellowish white to clear and shiny). When onion is ready, add all of your veggies and meat (except noodles), then cover with all of the broth. If the broth isn't enough, add water to top off but not more that 2 inches from the rim of your pot.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-30 miinutes until all the vegies are cooked. Add your seasonings towards the end of cooking along with the noodles, so that the noodles don't get overcooked and become paste.

Turn off heat and enjoy with some fresh bread (you choose!). Grated parmesan cheese is also very lovely on top of the bowl of soup, too!

Banana Bread

2008-08-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that my mom has been making for years. I think it's really an excuse to keep all those old black bananas in the freezer. Anyway, it's delicious every time. What makes this recipe unique is the special ingredient of chocolate chips. I think she started doing that around the same time as making our pancakes with chocolate chips, too. My sister even added her own twist to it by putting cocoa powder in the mix.

Merrie's Banana Bread
Ingredients
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine (or 1/2 stick)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (I sometimes use whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1/2 cup milk, soured (add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to the milk)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix well. In a separate bowl add the flower, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet mix along with the sour milk. Mix well. Add the nuts and chocolate chips.
Prepare 1 large bread pan (5 x 9) or 2 small bread pans (5 x 3) by buttering and flouring (or use a flour spray). Pour in the mix and tap lightly to smooth.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned on top and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before removing the bread from the pan to cool on baker's racks.

Enjoy! I like spreading some butter on the bread, but it's good plain, too.

Stir-Fried Tofu & Collard Greens

2008-07-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite dishes to prepare. I started cooking it in my mini-wok in Cambodia over the little gas stove. For this recipe I get to use fresh collard leaves picked from my garden!

Ingredients
Firm tofu (I like Trader Joe's brand Extra Firm)
6-8 leaves of collard greens (or substitute kale, spinach or chard)
1/2 yellow onion cut into slivers
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
salt & sugar to taste
1 Tbsp oil

Directions
1. Begin cooking rice in an electric rice cooker or on the stove-top.

2. Heat wok with 1 Tbsp oil. Drain and cube tofu. Place in oil, salt and sugar, then cover. Cook until golden on one side before turning and cooking some more. Add minced garlic and stir in. Continue browning.

3. While tofu is cooking, separate collard leaves from stems by slicing down each side of the stem. Slice stems into 1 inch pieces. Fold leaves over onto each other and slice across the bundle to create thin slices. Slice onions. (If desired, other dense vegetables can be added to the stir-fry mix such as broccoli, cauliflower or cucumbers.)

4. When tofu is slightly crispy on the outside, add the collard stems and any other vegetable you'd like. Don't add the onions or leaves just yet. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan. Stir this together. Cover and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook another 2 or so minutes covered. Finally, add the collard leaves, mix in and cover for about 1 minute. (You can also leave off the cover and stir with a spoon.) Turn off the heat. Serve with steamed rice.

Garden Delights

2008-07-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

My vegetable garden Squash uploaded by Nikkster

I am beginning to enjoy the fruits of my labor of a small home garden that I put together in my backyard using half wine barrels and other large terra cotta pots that were free.

My vegetable garden Collard Greens uploaded by Nikkster

I have enjoyed two yellow zuchhini squash so far, by steaming them and serving with steamed rice. Also enjoyed were several tender leaves of collard greens stir-fried with tofu and onions. In addition, my Bibb lettuce leaves have been a tender addition to my daily salads I take to work.

My vegetable garden Squash & Beans barrel uploaded by Nikkster

Soon the tomatoes will be producing as the first flower buds have appeared. There are also some beans just now growing. I don't think they get enough sun because the squash leaves have taken over. My peppers are slow but steady. I think they'll be late bloomers.

I can hardly wait for the tomatoes to start producing as I have high hopes for doing some canning of homemade spaghetti sauce.

The perfect peach

2008-07-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

mmmmmmmm. . . I just ate the most perfect peach. It was the kind of peach that you slurp while eating with just the right balance of sweet and slightly tangy. The juice dribbled down my chin and hands.

It is so rare to find such delicious peaches anymore. This one had to come from the Central Valley of California. The only other time I had such wonderful peaches where when they came directly from the farmer in Dinuba, California when a cousin brought them during a visit.

Mac & Cheese with Broccoli

2008-06-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Baked Macaroni and Cheddar from Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine

I made this last night. I had higher hopes that it might turn out better than my mom's version. Unfortunately it was not as good. Maybe 'cause it was a "light" version. I found the instructions a bit difficult to follow and ended up doing it my own way.

Ingredients

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets and stalks peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound whole wheat elbow pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 3)
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.

2. Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

OR,

Fill a large pasta pot that has a steamer basket with water. Bring to a boil. Add the steamer basket full of broccoli to steam. Take out the broccoli after a minute or so. Add the pasta and cook.

3. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°. In the same pot (as what? I'm guessing the broccoli? I just used another pot since I saved one with steamer basket in the pasta pot.), melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. (It actually took much longer to thicken for me.) Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.

4. In a small heatproof bowl, combine the garlic and remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Discard the garlic, then sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

In the end, I still ate it. But prefer my mom's recipe as it tasted much smoother and cheesier. This one had a flour-y taste.

Mexican Rice

2008-06-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

A perfect complement to Black Bean Enchiladas! It takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

1 cup white rice, long grain (not instant)
1 1/2 cups water
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
OR, 1 small can diced green chilies
1 tomato, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp oil

Directions

Saute garlic, rice, onions and bell peppers (but not green chilies if using) in a large, deep skillet until onions and peppers are soft.

Add water, tomato sauce, tomato and green chilies, if using. Stir then simmer covered for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.

Stir and serve!

Black Bean Enchiladas - easy

2008-06-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

These are so easy to make and they are completely meat free! I found this recipe in a Pillsbury or some other cookbook and have been hooked ever since. They are very flexible when it comes to taste, style and ingredients.

Ingredients

1-2 sliced bell peppers (I prefer red or yellow or both), sliced in strips

1 yellow onion, sliced thinly

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained (or cook up your own!)

12 oz of shredded cheese (you pick the type; I like white cheddar or Monterey Jack), leave some extra for topping

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp oil

1 can of enchilada sauce, red or green (or make your own!)

12 or so tortillas (I like flour, but corn is just fine, too; I've even used wheat)

Directions

Warm the enchilada sauce if not already warm while preparing the vegies.

Add garlic to oil in a large skillet. Heat until slightly golden then add the onions and peppers. Stir fry until onions are transluscent.

Remove from pan adding to the black beans and mix.

Warm tortillas before adding a couple of tablespoons of the black been mix, cheese and a tablespoon of sauce. Roll and place in baking dish with some of the sauce spread on the bottom.

When baking dish is filled, top with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve with Mexican Rice.

Spinach Lasagna

2008-06-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

I made my 2nd spinach lasagna and it came out great again! I used fresh spinach that I steamed using the boiling water from the lasagna noodles. I bought ricotta cheese (the 2nd time it was fat free) and mozzarella cheese, which I grated myself. I used a bottled pasta bake sauce that had some cheese in the mix. I think that's what made it so tasty.

I love lasagna when it's so tasty and not dry. Even more so when it is meatless. And the spinach was so yummy being that it was fresh and not frozen. This will be made again and again. Who knew lasagna was so easy.

I would really like to try this sausage lasagna that I saw made on an old run of Martha Stewart's tv show. It was piled and stuffed full of 3 kinds of sausage and lots of cheese using sheets of lasagna instead of just the noodles. Wow! That would be a feat!

Village cooking lessons: Day 2

2008-03-27T01:33:00.001-07:00

Samlor Majoo Kroeng Sait Gou (Sour Soup with Morning Glory and Beef)

*Note: In Cambodia Morning Glory is not a flower, but an aquatic vegetable with a hollow stem, sometimes called Water Spinach.

For a picture of what it can look like go here.

Step 1: Remove leaves from the Morning Glory. A few smaller ones can be left on the ends. Using the flat side of a knife (preferably a cleaver) flatten the Morning Glory stocks, then chop into 1.5" pieces.

Step 2: Add 5-6 garlic cloves and pieces of galangal rhizomes to a mortar, then smash them together. Add the "kroeng" mix (pounded lemongrass and tumeric root and other things) and continue pounding. Add some finely chopped kaffir lime leaves (or add some sour tamarind paste later) to make it sour.

Step 3: Cut up the meat into small bite-sized pieces.

Step 4: Heat some oil in the bottom of a large stock pot. Add the pounded mixture along with some "prahok" (Cambodian fish paste) and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the meat and cook until it's browned. Cover with water and bring to a boil then simmer. Once it's simmering add the Morning Glory pieces. Cook until those are soft.

Eat with steamed rice.

Village cooking lessons

2008-03-27T01:21:00.000-07:00

I'm back in "cooking school" with my Cambodian mom. I am learnign how to make some standard Cambodian dishes so that I will be able to make them in the future.

Day #1: Fried meat and vegetables (aka stir-fry)
Now I already know how to do this, but was told I needed to know how to make it tasty.

Step 1: heat oil (any kind will do).

Step 2: add freshly minced garlic to cook until golden, then add a spoonful of sugar.

Step 3: add chopped meat. We used pork, but beef will do just fine, and of course tofu. Let cook thoroughly so there's no pink in the middle.

Step 4: when meat is cooked, add the vegetables. We used sliced onions and angle-sliced cucumber, but you can choose you can choose your favorite. I think using onion is a must, and you can choose carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, or any other vegetable. The key thing, however, is to pay attention to your chosen vegie's density to determine cooking order and time. Cauliflower takes longer so it should go in first. Onions and cucumbers tend to be softer so they go in later.

Step 5: I think there is some salt added to taste, but I must have been looking away when it was added. Very important: check the taste of the dish using a spoon. If it isn't salty enough, add salt. If it's too salty, add water and/or sugar. Finally serve it in a serving bowl alongside steamed rice for your meal.

[sorry no pics for this one as I didn't have the camera with me.]

Papusas - Guatemala City, Guatemala

2008-01-12T00:29:00.000-08:00

With the assistance of my roommate, I discovered these wonderfully delicious treats when in Guatemala from the 3rd - 8th of December, 2007.

According to my roomie, she had papusas in Ecuador. I just had to try them, not only cause they were homemade compared to the Subway, Taco Bell, Quiznos, Dominoes and so on, available to us in the food court, but they were also inexpensive!

The woman was so delightful and patient, always making sure she had the order correct, since I was speaking in a second language.

They are more or less pancake-like. She started with a ball of dough, then pushed a hole into it in which the fillings were added. With only 3 choices of cheese (the fresh kind: think queso fresca), frijol (bean) and chicherrito (meat) filling. I opted for the beans and meat fillings either separately or combined (mixta).

They are then flattened and placed on the griddle to cook for 5-10 minutes. It's worth the wait. Believe me! These suckers filled me all day.

After served, you had your choice of toppings: a cabbage mixture, various spicy levels of salsa, guacamole and onions.

I ate these 3 days in a row. I loved coming here. I still crave these things to this day. I need this recipe for myself.

Fudgy Chocolate-Walnut Cookies (flourless)

2008-01-11T23:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, indeedy! These cookies have no flour, but yessiree they are baked. According to the article, they are ideal for Passover baking. Apparently, this is one of the 1oo tastes to try in 2008.

These were salivated after by my mom, so much so that she called me up from work to tell me to me to bake more 'cause she couldn't stop thinking about them.

Here's the recipe:

2 3/4 cup walnut halves (9 oz.) - toasted, then chopped
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I used the Bourbon kind from Madagascar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. (Parchment paper is very important here as I tried without and they were very hard to remove from the pans.)

In a large bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the cocoa powder and salt. Whisk in the chopped walnuts. Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until batter is moistened (be careful not to overbeat or it will stiffen). Spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes (shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through), until the tops of the cookies are glossy and lightly cracked and feel firm to the touch.

Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto 2 wire racks to cool completely before serving.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days (but it's highly unlikely they'll last that long).

Recipe by Francois Payard was found in the January 2008 issue of Food and Wine. (page 48)

Baba Ghanoush

2008-01-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

With an extra eggplant lying around I thought I would give a go at making baba ghanoush as a former roomie, the H-ster, had so inspiringly made on many occasions in our old abode.

I used a recipe from cooks.com, but modified it slightly as I usually do when I don't have the exact ingredients. Here's the recipe:

1 eggplant
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
8 oz. plain yogurt (I used a soy yogurt from Wild Woods)
1 clove garlic (I used 3 cause I love the stuff)

Bake eggplant at 350 degrees until soft, about 1/2 hour. Test with a toothpick. Cool, peel, and remove head. Chop or put in food processor, whichever texture is preferred (I blended it.) Add garlic and continue to process. Add lemon juice, yogurt, salt and pepper.

Tahini Sauce
1/2 cup tahini sauce
salt & pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
water
(I skipped the water and salt & pepper as I felt it was thin enough already)

Mix tahini sauce, salt, pepper and lemon juice separately in a mixer. Add a little water to thin. Mix with eggplant mixture.

Eat with pita bread and salad. Garnish with parsely.

Yummy, yummy! I love eating this with the baked pita chips from Trader Joe's. But it would also be nice over a cucumber, onion and tomato salad, too.

Papusas, Black Beans and Fresh Tortillas in Guatemala

2007-12-11T15:54:00.000-08:00

[picture coming soon]

I was delighted to encounter the Central American food of papusas. They are delightful and filling. Made with a cornmeal dough where fillings (my choices were queso, frijol, chicharron) are pushed into the center of a ball then covered and flattened into a pancake for cooking on the griddle.

While it took several minutes for my order to be made and cooked, it was well worth it and filling to last me the rest of the day.

My first papusas were 2 chicharron-filled. The second were 1 chicharron, 1 frijol. The third were mixed with frijol and chicharron. Topped with a cabbage mixture, red salsa, guacamole sauce, cilantro and lime, then served on a small plate with fork and knife, my stomach is growling for the next time I can eat one.

Avoidance Cooking

2007-11-06T00:31:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a busy day in the kitchen. I found several things to use up and put together in order to avoid what I really needed to get done: my business class homework which required me to deal with cash flow projections. Oh yeah, procrastination was essential.

The list of delectables is as follows:

fresh salsa made from tomatoes from Jacky's garden, onions and green bell peppers (so I didn't have jalepenos, but bell peppers served nicely in a pinch)
fresh guacamole made from the last remaining avocados mixed with the fresh salsa from above
roasted root vegetables: onions, potatoes, yams, and garlic mixed with garlic pepper/salt and Tony Chechero's Creole Seasoning for a spicy touch.
I fixed up a green salad for later in the evening in which I topped it with the leftover ground turkey taco meat to make taco salad.
I baked up some homemade tortilla chips using some of the corn tortillas leftover from the turkey tacos.
I made up a little fruit salad using Gopher Glen apples, black grapes, walnuts, coconut and Trader Joe's French Village plain cream line yogurt. Yummy!
Cocoa rice crispy treats, too,

During all this madness I had two more business ideas pop into my head. Of course they both had something to do with food and cooking.

My dream is to spend time in a local taqueria to watch and learn how true California Mexican food is created so I can have a closer understanding to the flavors. Also it has something to do with one of my business ideas which I won't reveal because it's too exciting to give away to just anybody.

Lunch at Higuera St Cafe

2007-11-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today's office lunch took place at Higuera St. Cafe, just behind the new SLO County government building. While the menu is fairly limited, it's choices are well-described and concocted.

Out of the seven of us having lunch, only two ordered the same thing: fish tacos. From what I could tell, they came with a blue and a white corn tortilla and French fries.

The special fo the day was fish 'n chips. The plate was overflowing with the battered fish and a non-tartar sauce to go with them.

Next was a grilled vegie panini that looked very delicious. It took a long time for the cooks to make this for some reason, but the result was really nice.

I had the croissant club which while tasty, was overpriced considering it didn't come with anything else. The $7.25 price tag should also include either fries or a salad to improve its value. Also, I found a piece of plastic inside the sandwich. Who knows what else was inside?

Someone got the Chicken Misto Wrap that looked and tasted delicious, according to the eater.

Finally, a half tuna sandwich and side salad were well prepared and filling.

Besides the lunch menu, there is also a breakfast and coffee menu. There were also some pumpkin scones that looked like they'd be worth trying. Prices for lunches range from $4 - 8.

Overall, depending on your taste, you'll be pleased by the offerings here.

Score
Value for meal: ar
Location: aa
Quality/Taste: aa
Service: ar
Atmosphere: ar

Scoring Key
aa = worth going again
a = visit occasionally
ar = hit and miss, one visit a year is plenty
r = try it for yourself
rr = avoid it completely

Fudgy Almond Butter Cookies (no bake)

2007-11-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

I found the recipe in the local coupon clipper that comes with the weekend paper. I ended up substituting a few of the ingredients just because that's what I had on hand. The greatest surprise was that this recipe required no baking whatsoever.

Main ingredients:
10 packets of Hot Cocoa mix (I used 3 regular and 7 Caramel Creme)
2/3 cup hot water
1/2 corn syrup
18 oz peanut butter (I used Marantha almond butter)
2 cups powdered sugar
4 cups crushed vanilla wafers (I used Trader Joe's regular & ginger cat cookies for people)
A lot of chocolate kisses (I used peanut butter kisses)

Combine hot cocoa mix and hot water. Beat in corn syrup and peanut butter. Stir in powdered sugar. Carefully stir in the crushed cookies.

Roll teaspoonfuls of fudgy mixture in powdered sugar, then press with thumb in middle to make room for the kiss.

Keep refrigerated. Ok if left out, but they get a little soft.

Enjoy!

My First Taste of Southern Food in the South

2007-10-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

I spent a short week visiting friends in Birmingham, Alabama September 16-20. They promised to take me to the places to experience Southern cooking. Here's my review:

Wednesday night: dinner at Chick-Fil-A

Now, I had never eaten at an official full-sized Chick-Fil-A, but did work at a food court version in my university days. I was the Chick-Fil-A chick. My friend took me there and said that she ate there at least once a week. I hadn't eaten there since my college days so I was game. I got the 8-piece chicken nugget meal with coleslaw, wedge-cut fries and sweet tea (though it was really 1/2 sweet and 1/2 unsweet). It was good, but I'm still not fond of those kinds of fries. I of course chose the honey mustard dipping sauce as I rememberd that was my favorite, or was it the sweet and sour. Hmmm. . . I just don't remember.

Thursday night: dinner at Jim 'n Nick's BBQ

I went out with the entire family: Nick (not of Jim 'n Nick's fame), CanCan, JoJo and baby D. Collard Greens were on the menu and as I have never eaten the Southern version, I thought I would ask how they were prepared. What I wasn't prepared for was the waitress's dumbfounded look.

Ehem. "She's from California," CanCan spoke up.

"Ahh. . . Well, first we pick them out of the garden, then we wash the dirt off of them. . ."

Me, "How do you cook them?"

"Oohh. . . We boil them with seasonings and fatback, and add pork. That's it. How do you prepare them?"

Me, "I cut off the leaves, then cut the stems and leaves into pieces and stir fry them in a skillet with garlic."

"Well, I never thought of cooking it that way!"

Me, "It's the Asian way."

CanCan ended up requesting a sample for me. Let's just say I was glad I ordered the side of creamed spinach with my BBQ Chicken sandwich.

Friday lunch: Surin West in downtown Birmingham

Friday dinner: Dale's Southern Grill

The Curse of Chef Gordon Ramsey

2007-10-25T09:17:00.001-07:00

I have become a fan of watching Kitchen Nightmares, starring Chef Gordon Ramsey, and now I found myself analyzing all my food from restaurants with a fine-tooth comb.

The lettuce is brown and wilted. . . The meatballs are cold and taste re-heated. . . Is this pasta freshly cooked? . . This fried okra is tasteless. . . Only three pickle slices and chicken on this sandwich?

. . . and so on. . .

It's now a habit: possibly a bad one? But I must admit, like Chef Ramsey, I enjoy good food that's prepared well. I don't need anything fancy schmancy, though. I would much rather eat my own if I only get semi-good food by eating out.

Roasted potatoes with onions

2007-10-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

Oh, I wish I had smell-o-vision because roasting potatoes with onions, sweet potatoes and garlic is such a mouth-drool inducing scent.

Here's the nitty gritty.

I cut up chunks of red potatoes, sweet potatoes, red onions, and peeled 1 bulb of garlic. It all got tossed with olive oil and garlic salt/pepper. I laid it out in a cookie sheet with sides. Oven temp. was 350. They roasted for 1 hour? I can't remember exactly. I just pulled them out when I couldn't stand not eating them anymore.

Let me tell you, they were deee-li-cious! Yummy in my tummy.

Call for Bundt Cake Recipes!

2007-09-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm just beginning to test and learn how to make bundt cakes, not that they are all that difficult, but certainly have different issues than just a plain old round or square cake.

In that light, I've started a Bundt Cake Swap over on Swap-Bot to gather new ideas to try out. I can't wait to start testing and tasting. Sign-up by October 15.

Happy Bundt-ing!

Homemade Applesauce

2007-09-20T23:58:00.000-07:00

Mmmm. The yummiest thing about apple season besides eating the fresh apples themselves is turning the leftowvers into applesauce. I did just that tonight.

First I cut Gala apples (about 15 small ones) from Gopher Glen Apple Farm in See Canyon, San Luis Obispo, California into quarters and cut out the seeds. Then I peeled them. I did this against the overseeing eye of my mother who wondered why I didn't peel them first. I just thought I'd try a different way. Besides I had just seen Martha peel the apples after they were cut.

After the peeled apples, I cut them into small inch-size chunks. Water was added up to an inch and then the apple cubes were boiled til nice and soft. I chose to add about a cup of sugar and some cinnamon and nutmeg. This was mashed until applesauce consistency.

Let cool and enjoy a bowful!

Vegetable Soup and Cornbread

2007-09-18T00:59:00.000-07:00

Today I was wondering what to make for dinner and wanted something easy and healthy. When I was searching through the fridge for something I realized I had a lot of miscellaneous vegies so I decided on a pot of soup.

It starts with roughly chopped onions cooked til translucent in olive oil. I used a mixture of yellow and red since I only had a small piece of yellow. Then I tossed in some minced garlic (approx 4-5 tablespoons/cloves)

Then I diced up 5 small red potatoes, cut up bite-sized pieces of cauliflower (approx 1-2 cups) and grabbed 3 individual bags of baby carrots. I also grabbed a can of green beans and diced tomatoes plus a quart box of vegetable soup stock/broth.

In addition I found some old BBQ chicken and tri-tip steak that I cut up into bite-sized pieces.

After the onions are ready, I added the potatoes, cauliflower and carrots which I covered with the broth and some additional water to boil. I saved the other ingredients for later since they're less dense and already cooked.

Once all the ingredients are simmering in the pot I tossed in some garlic salt and pepper and some regular salt to taste.

After 30 minutes I had a huge pot of yummy soup. I baked some cornbread to go along with it.

This soup is great to eat as leftovers as it keeps getting better day by day. Perfect for family gatherings or visiting friends!

Vegie Marinara Pasta in a Buddhist Communal Home

2007-09-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Birthday night was shared with one long-time friend and one new friend. It was a splendid evening doing what I love best, creating exciting eating plans then cooking it up together with friends. Thanks to Camille and El Caballero (see Camille for his reference) for the inspiration and the hosting.

Dinner plans were initiated by our voicing a desire for dinner on the cheap. Since all the restaurants floated out by Camille were nay-sayed for extravagance by El Cab, he offered his vermicelli and sauce as a dining option. Well, for Camille and I it wasn't enough to just eat packaged pasta and sauce from a jar. It needed our special handcrafted touch.

So, off to the G.O. (God bless the Grocery Outlet) we went for some inspiration. Ooh, let's get some chard. Oh wait, those are collard greeens. That's my favorite vegetable in Cambodia. How about zucchini? Add a red bell pepper. Does he have any garlic? I'm looking for parmesan cheese. Should we have some wine? What about bread? We swooped up all the fantastic ingredients and managed to fine a very inexpensive bottle of petite syrah from Lodi, which turned out to be a delectable wine with our meal.

Back to the commune, no joke, for some kitchen magic. There was a brief hunt for cooking pots and were satisfied to fine one big deep skillet for the vegies and sauce.

Smashed and chopped garlic. Cubed zucchini and pepper. Sliced collard greens salvaged from the steaming pot. El Cab was on top of the sauteing. He heated the oil in the pan, tossed in the garlic, added the zucchini and peppers when ready. Stirred, flipped and tossed. Lastly came the collard greens, and finally to top it all off, a jar and a half of marinara sauce.

The pasta was cooked in its normal way: boiled water. The sliced sourdough bread was toasted and buttered by Camille. The table was set. Then we sat and dined on divine pasta. It was delicious for lack of a better word. Of course it's digestion was vastly improved by the company, and the setting of an old-stlye wood kitchen with a hearty wooden table.

My birthday was complete.

Supersized Salad

2007-09-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Lunch was in Berkeley (California, of course!) It was my birthday and it was a day of lots of fun things that started with a salad so huge it had to be shared in a great restaurant on Telegraph Ave. called Terramezzo (sp?).

The salads are tossed fresh in 12-inch wooden salad bowls and served with a hunk of fresh baked hearty bread and of course your choice of dressing.

The lettuce was fabulous. The tastiest lettuce I've eaten in quite a long time with a real filling feel. Our salad came with garbonzo + kidney beans, sprouts (not to my liking), tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, cucumber, carrot and half an avocado. I choice the herbal vinagrette and it was the perfect blend of light, sweet and vinegary taste for the salad.

There are tons of small tables and even some benches with small counters to enjoy your salads. If you don't want just a salad there are soup and sandwich options too. The place was packed with students and other academia, but well worth it for just over $5.00 for the giant bowl. Perfect for sharing.

BBQ Beef and Roasted Potatoes

2007-09-09T22:45:00.000-07:00

I found some beef in the freezer and a honey BBQ sauce mix while I was rumaging through the pantry cupboards the other day. This inspired me to make a crock pot meal since I was busy cleaning during the day and crock pot meals are self-cooking.

So I popped in the frozen beef, added the BBQ sauce with a little honey, then turned on the crock pot. I put it on low, but it should have been on the Auto Shift because as I found out later, the Auto Shift starts at high for a couple of hours then goes down to low. I ended up turning it to high later, so it was a little backwards.

Once the beef was nearing completion I gathered some red potatoes, a couple of yams and a red onion hanging around the house. I really wanted some cloves of garlic but none was found. All was chopped up in big chunks and cubes then splashed with olive oil and garlic pepper and salt. I popped that in the oven in a Pyrex baking dish at about 375 F. They cooked for about 45 minutes to an hour.

The beef was so tender that you didn't even need a knife to cut it because it just fell apart so easily. The potatoes were perfectly roasted. Yummy!

Cocoa Crispy Treats

2007-09-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

There were excess mini marshmallows lying around the house, so what else to do but
get crispy rice. I found some cocoa crispy rice at the Grocery Outlet for $.99
a box. What a deal!

It was 5 1/2 cups marshmallows, 1/4 cup butter melted for 2 minutes in the microwave.
Add 5 1/2 cups crispies. Stir very carefully then transfer into a buttered pan.
It also helps to butter the fingers for keeping the gooey mess off of them.

I made a double batch and fit them both into one 13 X 9 glass dish to make them
extra thick. Yummy!

Costco dogs

2007-09-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

A trip to Costco would not be complete without ending it with a hotdog for $1.50. I go for the Kosher dog (not polish). I like to put sweet relish, onions, lots of ketchup and top that off with a few drops of yellow mustard. It's a nice treat every once in awhile.

Corndogs and Brownies

2007-09-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

Today's quick fix was frozen Foster's Farm corndogs. Reheated for 4 minutes, then toasted at 350 degrees in the toaster oven for about 15 minutes, turned once, to crisp them up. I prefer a dip of mostly ketchup with a small amount of yellow mustard to tart it up.

Yummy!

See the recipe for these fudgy brownies (and more) at Not a Domestic Diva

Of the 11 packages of brownie mix I counted in the cabinet under the hutch, I utilized two boxes to make some quick brownies for a friend's party. Just a quick mix with water, oil and eggs and pour in the baking dish. Thirty minutes later I had brownies. Sometimes I add chocolate chips to the mix to make it interesting. Today I did nothing but bake them. One trick to avoid excess dirtying of dishes is to measure the oil and water in the same liquid measuring container.

Gotta love brownies.

>-< Kitchen Surprises >-<

3 - 2 - 1 Cake!

Harmony Valley Website Scavenger Hunt

Find the answers to the following questions on our website and get a FREE package of Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix! 1. Link your favorite HV recipe on the site!

Harmony Valley Breakfast Scramble

2. Where can you find HV near you?

There really isn't a local retailer that sells HV Vegetarian mix to my dismay. I'll look for it at our local natural foods store, though, called New Frontiers.

3. How do you make Harmony Valley Vegetarian Mix?

Pancakes

Crock Pot Oatmeal

Zucchini Bread

Polenta and Oatmeal Cookie Recipes

70% cocoa or bust!

CAMBODIA: Pepper Farmers Get Ready for their Champagne Moment

Cinnamon Honey Sweet Potatoes

Beef Lok Lak

Fried Ginger with Pork

Fried Rice with Sausage

Back to Cambodian Food!

Polish Cabbage and Noodles Dish

Easy standby stirfry

Season's Baking

Homemade Pumpkin and Banana Breads

Vegetarian Chili (from scratch)

Cakes for the Fall Festival

Chicken Stock and Soup

Banana Bread

Stir-Fried Tofu & Collard Greens

Garden Delights

The perfect peach

Mac & Cheese with Broccoli

Mexican Rice

Black Bean Enchiladas - easy

Spinach Lasagna

Village cooking lessons: Day 2

Village cooking lessons

Papusas - Guatemala City, Guatemala

Fudgy Chocolate-Walnut Cookies (flourless)

Baba Ghanoush

Papusas, Black Beans and Fresh Tortillas in Guatemala

Avoidance Cooking

Lunch at Higuera St Cafe

Fudgy Almond Butter Cookies (no bake)

My First Taste of Southern Food in the South

The Curse of Chef Gordon Ramsey

Roasted potatoes with onions

Call for Bundt Cake Recipes!

Homemade Applesauce

Vegetable Soup and Cornbread

Vegie Marinara Pasta in a Buddhist Communal Home

Supersized Salad

BBQ Beef and Roasted Potatoes

Cocoa Crispy Treats

Costco dogs

Corndogs and Brownies

Find the answers to the following questions on our website and get a FREE package of Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix!

1. Link your favorite HV recipe on the site!