Give me some beef

Sometimes, I just get tired of eating chicken everyday as my source of protein. I really should be more creative about my meat. I made steak last night with a spice rub from the amazing Savory Spice Shop in Boulder, CO (you can smell each spice and it's such a delightful journey for your nose!) and I decided to make juicy burgers tonight. It's not anything groundbreaking but it was quite satisfying nonetheless.

For the burgers:

1 lb of ground beef

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

2 tablsepoons of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp of dried basil

1 1/2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of black pepper

The soy sauce is key :) And then I chopped little bell peppers and onions (both sautéed) and threw it into the patties.

We don't have a grill so I just cooked these in a saucepan with the lid on after flipping it. :) These tasted mighty delicious! Please remember to top it with your favorite cheese towards the end. We chose muenster cheese, a favorite for Nick and me!

The burger is not very delicately posed for the picture because Nick was really hungry and wanted to eat it immediately ;) We topped the burgers with avocado and tomatoes on honey wheat buns from TJ's.

As for dessert, I wanted something cold. We shared a pint of Ben and Jerry's last night, and that would have been perfect tonight. However, we had avocado smoothies instead because we had avocados that needed to be utilized. I drank avocado smoothies all the time growing up and they sell them at Lee's Sandwiches in SoCal. They are so refreshing and simple...yet few people think of avocados as a dessert! Nick was hesitant at first ("Avocados are for guacamole!") but I think he warmed up to the idea. 

Must use good avocados for the smoothie to have a lot of flavor. 

2 avocados

1 cup of milk

1/4 cup of sugar

1 frozen banana 

I also had the BEST INDIAN food I've ever had in my entire life today. Becca is my new old best friend for sharing this amazing place with me. The lunch specials are phenomenally huge. Please go if you're ever in LA! 

Tomorrow, I'll jump out of my weekend slump and jump right back into the kitchen! Check back soon :) Have a great Tuesday!

Chocolate Snap Sugar Cookies~!

Well, Happy Saturday bloggers!

I made the mistake of becoming complacent this morning. I found a recipe for Chocolate Snap Sugar cookies on allrecipes.com and went ahead with the recipe without reading the reviews! First of all, the reason I love allrecipes is because there are user reviews that refine and perfect the recipe! Second of all, it's the main reason I wanted to start my own blog so I could share my version of recipes with everyone (not to say that they are perfected and refined versions, but at least unique). So I melted cocoa powder in three tablespoons of margarine instead of just omitting the margarine and adding the cocoa powder to the dry ingredients like ALL the reviewers said. Luckily, I caught myself before I started baking and added more flour to make up for the extra butter in the recipe and these turned out great. :) I would make them again.

Nick taught me how to change my camera setting to "macro" to take better pictures! Look at that texture!

Well, Nick and I are off to the beach to tan and swim! And then we're driving down to Huntington Beach for a service project that my little sisters organized! The event is green-themed (be green! save the environment and all that), so it should be cute and fun! Have a great day and thanks for reading :)

Indian Dinner Night!

I have been super, super excited about tonight because I've been craving Indian food like it's my job in life (so true, it's sad). My boyfriend is currently passed out right now because of the food coma he got from the dinner I made for him and Lynn! By the way, I'd like to take the time right now to thank sweet Lynn, my friend and host, who has been letting me play with all her beautiful and fun kitchen toys. She's awesome and I love living with her in LA!

So, for the main course, I made chicken korma curry with potatoes and cauliflower. It's my favorite curry sauce in the world. I have to confess I bought the sauce in a jar from Trader Joe's, but it was so convenient and tasty, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Lynn steamed the cauliflower and I baked some potato cubes in olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so. I also seasoned the chicken with hints of paprika, turmeric, and cumin.

The naan was super fun to make. Start early though; the recipe calls for 8 hrs of rising time, though 5 was enough for me. It doubled in size! I love working with bread dough because it's like they're alive or something! I kept sneaking guilty glances at the corner where the bread bowl was sitting to see how much it had risen. I think I had a superstition that it needed peace and quiet to rise and the more I looked at or disturbed it, the less it would work. Hence, my furtive glances. ;-)

The recipe made a lot of delicious naan! I definitely brushed lots of margarine on it as well. I'd do this again but maybe not on a hot day, since standing next to a 500 degree oven was more of a sweat-inducing experience than I would have liked. 

That's only half the naan. Each one was huge, about 8-10 inches long!

Baking Frenzy!

If I bake more three or more items in one kitchen session, I call it a baking frenzy! I love multitasking so I get a kick out of trying to manage three or more recipes at once. Call me a baking nerd, but it made my morning/afternoon (started at 10:30 and ended at 2).

The first thing I tried was an apple coffee cake. I did a couple things differently. Instead of just one layer of thinly sliced apples in the middle,  I added another layer on top. And instead of just the cinnamon sugar topping, I added a thick layer of crumb topping that I usually use for crumb cakes and muffins. The apple cake was dense and not too sweet, which was good in this case (not good in those muffins from last night).

The first layer of sliced apples with cinnamon sugar on top. 

A slice of apple cake. Gotta love the crumb topping. 

Strudel Topping ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

I also made some of those famous Zingerman's Funky Chunky Dark Chocolate cookies . I think these are my favorite chocolate chip cookies, recommended by my fellow baker and architect friend, Mai ;) The flavors are distinct but meld well (I didn't use walnuts but they're GREAT with walnuts), and the texture is perfect (I baked three trays separately: one soft, one medium, and one crispy!). I do refrigerate the dough for ten minutes in between batches as well, and I add two tsp of freshly ground coffee. I like them more than the NYT chocolate chip recipe too (though those are a close second).

I wanted to boast that I used fancy, schmancy pretty chocolate chunks just for this recipe! Look at how nice they look! Usually, I use the "pound plus" of dark chocolate from Trader Joe's, which is good Belgium chocolate for a good price.

In three layers from bottom to top: crispy, medium, and soft and chewy.

Finally, to make up for last night's bland and somewhat disappointing blueberry muffins (don't worry, they'll still be eaten, but for my pride I had to make great ones to make up for okay ones), I made some blueberry crumb muffins that are "to die for"! 

There they are uncooked (not sure why I took this picture...oh! it was so you can see the top rise after being baked! I love how muffins pop up like that (kind of like the cute gnocchi)!)

Violà! These are pretty delicious and definitely a recipe to keep. 

Join me again later tonight for a post on dinner :-) 

Peanut Butter and More

I have a confession to make. I didn't like peanut butter until this summer. Why? Because I tried it once and it globbed (not a word, but sufficiently describes the sound and action it makes) in my throat and I could barely swallow it. After 22 years of not liking it, I tried it again this summer. I have been missing out on something incredibly simple and tasty for a long time.

Mark Bittman's article last week in NYT  asks us to consider other ways of using peanut butter. I know I personally love it as a dip for chicken satay (the Thai way), but I also discovered another amazing way to use peanut butter at Cherry Cricket, ranked number 3 for best burger place in the nation (I went 5 times while in Denver this summer). You've got it: peanut butter on your hamburger. It has to be a good burger, and it shouldn't be good peanut butter (in the sense of all natural peanut butter). It should be Skippy or one of those brands. Try it the next time you're at a barbecue. People will talk about you, and become curious enough to taste it themselves, and then praise you for being a creative genius.

You're welcome.
____
I made these sandwiches for Nick this week. The true make-or-break ingredient is the romesco sauce. I want to try the sauce with pasta as well, but it's a great sandwich filler.

Romesco

1/2 cup whole almonds

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sherry vinegar (or white or red wine vinegar)

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

Set a pan over medium heat and add the almonds. Toast them in the pan, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, or until they’re aromatic and starting to brown. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.

Add the almonds and remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Turkey & Avocado Sandwich with 

4 slices pumpernickel bread (or your favorite sandwich bread)

few slices cracked pepper turkey

2 slices provolone cheese

1 small avocado, sliced

handful of arugula

1 tbsp. mayonnaise

few tablespoons Romesco sauce (recipe above)

Toast the bread, then layer the ingredients onto 2 slices of bread: mayo, turkey, provolone, avocado, Romesco sauce and arugula. Top with another slice of bread, cut down the middle and enjoy!

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I also made some blueberry yogurt muffins, because Nick ate all 12 of the blue monkey muffins I made him in two days. I added the zest from one orange, just because it calls for fresh orange juice and I didn't want waste the fresh orange zest. I would add more sugar (it only called for 1/3 cup).  Lynn thought they looked really pretty and I did like how the top was as big as the bottom :)

As a side note, I've been making lots and lots of guacamole this week. Nick and I went through four big tupperware containers and a dozen avocados of them. We had them with beer, as appetizers, as a snack after church...basically ALL THE TIME. It's so delish. If you're interested, I can post my preferred recipe. Actually, I'll just do it anyways. And try to add a picture of the beautiful colors tomorrow :)

• 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion (RED is imperative in my opinion)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I usually add half a cup because I love cilantro)
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced (roma plum is the way to go...fewer seeds)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional in the original recipe, but I definitely add it along with 1 tsp of chili powder, just for kicks (not so much giggles)). 

Have a great night! I'm making new things tomorrow so I'm really excited! 

Ricotta Gnocchi and Pesto

I had a wonderful evening cooking at Becca's house. Becca and I met when we were studying abroad in the same pre-architecture program in Florence, Italy. We had an amazing semester together...traveling to over 35 Italian cities and towns, sampling the best food from each one, and falling in love with Italian cuisine. Italy was a place of firsts: first time I had red wine, first time I had gnocchi, and the first time I had pesto. All amazing.

Being with Becca is always like time traveling to the ideal life we had in Italy. I actually did very little cooking tonight, and a lot of admiring as Becca beautifully rolled out and cut the gnocchi into the cutest little pillow-shaped bites. They were so cute! And when they pop to the surface of the boiling water, it's as though they are just as excited as you are!

This recipe was good because it wasn't as starchy or as time consuming as potato gnocchi. I would follow it to a tee, making sure to use freshly grated parmesan, good ricotta, and lots of well-floured surfaces for the rolling. It makes enough for four people and goes so well with the beautiful salad that Becca made (with fresh arugula and a vinaigrette of olive oil, balsamic, dijon mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper).

I enjoyed the ricotta gnocchi so much, but mainly because the company was excellent. And check out Bec's cute little puppy! She has two and they love licking your toes.

Here's Becca's master chef skills as she cuts the cute gnocchi! 

I told you they are adorable!!  Look like and feels like pillows!

Oh my gosh, they make me hungry all over again. The pesto was delicious, even without pine nuts (which are expensive and why we omitted them).

ITALIA! Amore!

Cute! Which pup is this one, Becs? I always confuse them. I don't think it's Sophie because she has darker hair?

The delicious salad and its beautiful bowl.

I look forward to tomorrow's food adventures already! I'm planning to make....well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore! So I won't ;) Good night everyone. 

Spicy Chai Latte

This doesn't involve much work, but it tastes so refreshing and delicious that I had to post about it. In fact, I've every reason to post about it because it's delicious and easy!

I make this every morning with crushed ice and vanilla soy milk. I know Teddy would approve ;) I'm going to make chai latte cupcakes now that my devotion to vegan cupcakes was renewed last night when I made vegan margarita cupcakes to go with chicken enchiladas for dinner. Thanks, Teddy, for passing along the best cupcake recipes I've ever tried!

But back to lattes. These are yummy and cheap. Get them at Trader Joe's today (I hope a TJ person sees my zeal for their store and gives me money for advertising for them).

 

And on an unrelated note, some fries. I had a pregnancy craving (don't worry, just a term, not a reality) for french fries the other day and have been meaning to use this recipe that is meant for sweet potato fries (also added cumin and paprika just for kicks and giggles):

Ingredients:

1 medium sized sweet potato
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp Garlic powder or 1 small garlic, mashed (optional)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp oil, any

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 deg F(220 deg C). Line a baking with with a parchment paper.

Wash, peel, and cut the sweet potato just like you cut the potatoes for the French fries (cut it a little thin if you want a crispy fry).

Now toss the potatoes with the rest of the ingredients and spread them on the lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake them at 425 deg F(220 deg C) for 15 to 20 minutes. Few more minutes if you like it crunchy. Do keep an eye so that it doesn't get burned.

I would definitely try these again. And I want to make my own dipping sauce next time. Maybe with horseradish. I'll post again later tonight after I make homemade gnocchi and pesto with Becca, my study abroad friend from Italy. I can't wait to see her family, her dogs, and Becs herself. Have a great day until then, everyone! 

A little too eager as always...

I was thinking about why I like baking so much and I think it's because of the creativity involved. I never know exactly what's going to happen because I rarely follow recipes to a tee. I guess that's the asian side of me; my mom never follows a recipe and just cooks to taste (and she's amazing at it too!). I also love baking FOR people and adjusting recipes to fit the personality of the receiver. If someone has a major sweet tooth I'll add cranberries or milk chocolate chips; if someone is a health nut I'll use whole wheat flour, applesauce, etc. :-) So let me know what you like before I make you something.Martha Stewart's Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Raisin cookies. Another cookie of the day, and in my opinion, cookie of the summer. They are another classic in my book (maybe I'm not as picky as I claim to be) but mainly because Nick (my boyfriend who has an amazing metabolism and is able to eat all my baked goods without gaining weight) said it was his favorite cookie that I've ever made. I think the maple syrup drizzle does it. Or the incredible texture from the applesauce. Or is it the softness? Either way, it is so so good. Try it, please!

Here's another classic: lemon poppyseed muffins. There's a story behind these. Kate, my college roommate of four years, and I used to frequent this coffee place called Koffee on Audubon whenever we got late-night cravings. They sold their day-old muffins for $1.25 and for being as big as they were (about the size of my face), they were a steal. Not only that, they continue to be the most delicious, moist, and dense muffins ever. Until I found this recipe which comes dangerously close to being as moist, dense, and delicious. I'll have to be happy with them for now since New Haven is an expensive plane ride away from Los Angeles. The secret to these is the sour cream, which I love to use in baking. It adds an incredible tang and an undeniable moistness.

There you have it. Some of the best things I've baked are in this post alone. I am happy to share my treasure ;)

I love being in the kitchen!

Here's a quick summary of some baked goods I've made in the past two weeks. I always try new recipes. There is just too much out there to warrant my using a recipe more than once. Unless it's extremely delicious; then I label it a "classic" but I'm very picky about that.This first one is actually a "Classic." I've made it three times this summer, which is somewhat amazing because I rarely repeat the same recipe in the same season, even if it's a classic. They're blue monkey muffins: blueberries and banana. Really light and not too sweet, so perfect for breakfast if you're not too hungry.



Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes from Food & Wine. The frosting is particularly delicious. The cupcake is standard vanilla to me.

I made those big, soft pretzels that I always get at the mall! They were surprisingly fun to make and required a baking soda bath (the parts that are not golden were the parts that didn't get dipped far enough into the hot bath...). Next time, I also want to roll some in cinnamon sugar and garlic butter.

These are supposed to be made with chocolate chips but I only had butterscotch and I think I liked them better that way. An excellent recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod because it involves few ingredients but tasted delicious.
Martha Stewart's flourless peanut butter cookies that I added cashews to (instead of using peanuts like the recipe calls for). I get her cookie of the day emails and it's fantastic. No reason not to bake cookies everyday, especially if you have the master baker sending you her personal recipes.

I don't really have something interesting to say for my first post except for the fact that I finally have the time to keep up a food blog and thus expand time spent thinking about food. I spend hours everyday reading blogs, trying new recipes, eating, reading restaurant reviews, shopping for fine ingredients. Now I can write about my adventures as well. I hope that my unbridled passion for food is not a turn-off. I hope it encourages you to turn off that TV (unless you're watching Top Chef, though I agree with Michael Pollan: that show won't teach you anything useful) and turn on the oven or stove.