Via Flickr:
That mascarpone filling in the Strawberry-Mascarpone French Toast recipe was so yummy that I made another batch to use as a spread for snack time. ^_^ It works as a delicious spread with crackers, pretzels, or even in bread...I think it'd be a great fruit dip as well - with strawberries (or any berries) again, or with apple slices!
Here's the recipe for the filing part only again, just in case you need it:
3 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone, room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
Mix them all together well, and boom! You're done!
Aiva approves! ^_^
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Drizzle
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Drizzle 003, a photo by gummychild on Flickr.
Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Jenny C. (thanks! It is my FAVORITE cream cheese topping recipe!)
- 4 oz. softened cream cheese
- 4 oz. unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup cool whip
*Mix all together to make the frosting! I like to put everything into a zip loc bag, smoosh to mix well, cut a hole into a corner, and frost the cupcakes that way. =)
Topped with toasted coconut flakes...
*Put however much sweetened coconut flakes into a baking pan and cook 350 F, for 3-5 minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn't overcook and burn!).
Drizzled with melted Ghirardelli dark chocolate pieces...
...Yummy. =D
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan!
Aiva loves Kai-Lan.
And we found a Kai-Lan inflatable balloon that's almost as tall as she is at the mall a few weeks ago.
Yes, she's ecstatic! ^_^
And yes, it's way too easy to buy unnecessary fun items for your kids, lol...at least it's reusable because it's like a beach balloon, where you can inflate it often. Four dollars, well-spent? ^_~
And we found a Kai-Lan inflatable balloon that's almost as tall as she is at the mall a few weeks ago.
Yes, she's ecstatic! ^_^
And yes, it's way too easy to buy unnecessary fun items for your kids, lol...at least it's reusable because it's like a beach balloon, where you can inflate it often. Four dollars, well-spent? ^_~
Friday, May 25, 2012
Mekong Basa Cooked in White Wine, Served With Lemon Butter Sauce
A long title, I know...but just Basa in Lemon-Butter Sauce didn't seem to do this justice...!
The recipe comes again from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, and again, she hasn't failed me one single bit. I'll be making this fish many times again in the future!
We had some fresh lemons from a neighbor who gave us a bag recently to put to good use as well, so this recipe came at the perfect time for us. Basically, you cook the fish in white wine, reduce the liquid that's leftover, and mix it with fresh lemon juice and cold cut butter to make a buttery, delicious sauce. It was not too tangy - the two flavors, along with the reduced Pinot Grigio, created a sauce that was unbelievably silky. The sauce was so simple. Yet so incredibly classy. =)
I served it with rice and carrots stewed in a rich broth of oxtail and tomatoes that we had on the side, though this would go nicely with some greens and/or pasta!
Martha's recipe calls for sole, but we didn't have any. However, I had a few fillets of Mekong Basa to use up, and they worked great here. The fish came out extremely silky smooth...this is the second time using the word "silky", and indeed, this was an amazingly silky dish.
Besides the type of fish, the only other thing I changed were some of the cooking times; I did cook the fish much longer than her recommended time by letting it simmer, covered, on low heat, because my rice wasn't ready yet. The doubled time didn't harm the basa at all - in fact, it worked out just right here. Probably because the basa is much thicker than sole.
Ingredients
Of course, Shelton had to have some too!
Happy Friday everyone! May it be full of good eats!
The recipe comes again from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, and again, she hasn't failed me one single bit. I'll be making this fish many times again in the future!
We had some fresh lemons from a neighbor who gave us a bag recently to put to good use as well, so this recipe came at the perfect time for us. Basically, you cook the fish in white wine, reduce the liquid that's leftover, and mix it with fresh lemon juice and cold cut butter to make a buttery, delicious sauce. It was not too tangy - the two flavors, along with the reduced Pinot Grigio, created a sauce that was unbelievably silky. The sauce was so simple. Yet so incredibly classy. =)
I served it with rice and carrots stewed in a rich broth of oxtail and tomatoes that we had on the side, though this would go nicely with some greens and/or pasta!
Martha's recipe calls for sole, but we didn't have any. However, I had a few fillets of Mekong Basa to use up, and they worked great here. The fish came out extremely silky smooth...this is the second time using the word "silky", and indeed, this was an amazingly silky dish.
Besides the type of fish, the only other thing I changed were some of the cooking times; I did cook the fish much longer than her recommended time by letting it simmer, covered, on low heat, because my rice wasn't ready yet. The doubled time didn't harm the basa at all - in fact, it worked out just right here. Probably because the basa is much thicker than sole.
Ingredients
- 8 sole fillets (3 to 4 ounces each)
- 16 very thin lemon slices (from 1 to 2 lemons), seeds removed
- Juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
- Coarse salt
- Place wine in a large, lidded skillet. Fold each sole fillet into thirds. Arrange in skillet; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Lay two overlapping lemon slices on each piece of fish.
- Bring wine to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer gently until fish is opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. With a spatula, transfer fish to serving plates.
- Return liquid in skillet to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon juice; remove from heat. Whisk in butter until smooth. Season with salt; strain, if desired. Serve with fish; garnish with fresh herbs and pepper, if desired.
Of course, Shelton had to have some too!
Happy Friday everyone! May it be full of good eats!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Black Bean Tortilla Pie
This recipe comes from my Everyday Food cookbook (from Martha Stewart) that Shelton gave me one year for Christmas.
Seriously, Martha Stewart never fails me. I don't know what it is, but I've never tried a recipe of hers that failed me!
Tonight's dinner was this Black Bean Tortilla Pie, and the recipe is straight from the book and her website.
Though I must comment, if you want more spicy-hot-goodness to this, you'd want to probably add another jalapeno in here, and keep the seeds and ribs. If you like spicy, that is!
I also didn't have a springform pan, but that didn't stop me! I just put everything together into a deep dish saute pan, and scooped the whole thing out in the end with a giant pancake spatula (we have a red one that we got from our wedding. I use it for all sorts of food - definitely not just pancakes!) onto a plate to serve.
And this crunchy, ooey-gooey delicious, no-meat-but-filling dish would also be great served with a spring green salad sprinkled with bright orange carrots, drizzled with your favorite vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
Directions
Seriously, Martha Stewart never fails me. I don't know what it is, but I've never tried a recipe of hers that failed me!
Tonight's dinner was this Black Bean Tortilla Pie, and the recipe is straight from the book and her website.
Though I must comment, if you want more spicy-hot-goodness to this, you'd want to probably add another jalapeno in here, and keep the seeds and ribs. If you like spicy, that is!
I also didn't have a springform pan, but that didn't stop me! I just put everything together into a deep dish saute pan, and scooped the whole thing out in the end with a giant pancake spatula (we have a red one that we got from our wedding. I use it for all sorts of food - definitely not just pancakes!) onto a plate to serve.
And this crunchy, ooey-gooey delicious, no-meat-but-filling dish would also be great served with a spring green salad sprinkled with bright orange carrots, drizzled with your favorite vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
- 4 flour tortillas (10 inches)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan. Use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add beans and beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove side of pan; sprinkle pie with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges.
Simple Frittata
A simple, rustic frittata is easy to make! Basic ingredients include potatoes, egg, onion, and cheese. You can add meats and other elements to your own taste.
I learned this many years ago one day, while visiting Lorie in her apartment back in our younger, non-married, no-children, post-college days. ^_^ She wanted to try a recipe from a book called something like the Four Ingredients Cookbook (I think that was the title...?), and it's a filling and easy staple that I still use today.
Ingredients are eyeballed and based on what I have on hand, as I don't have the book itself, but have tweaked the recipe several times over the years, so please feel free to adjust as you like!
Simple Frittata
Directions:
Great for a hardy, savory breakfast! You can use bacon, ham, or prosciutto instead, add more sausage, include shallots and garlic, use different herbs and seasoning (imagine using curry! But that's me. I love curry. ^_^), add veggies such as diced kale, peppers, or even mushrooms! The possibilities are endless! =D
I learned this many years ago one day, while visiting Lorie in her apartment back in our younger, non-married, no-children, post-college days. ^_^ She wanted to try a recipe from a book called something like the Four Ingredients Cookbook (I think that was the title...?), and it's a filling and easy staple that I still use today.
Ingredients are eyeballed and based on what I have on hand, as I don't have the book itself, but have tweaked the recipe several times over the years, so please feel free to adjust as you like!
Simple Frittata
- 2-3 Potatoes, thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
- 5 eggs, beaten together
- 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
- Shredded/grated cheese of your choice
- Salt and Pepper
- Diced green onions
- Fresh herbs, chopped, or dried herbs, such as Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme
- A few sausage links (I used four of the little breakfast links, or you could use one fat Italian sausage)
Directions:
- Heat a non-stick saute pan with a little bit of oil on top on medium heat.
- Remove the sausage meat from the casing and cook the crumbled meat. Set aside, but leave the oil in the pan.
- Add onions and cook until translucent, and remove from the pan.
- Add potatoes into the pan and cook until they are done (translucent).
- Add the onions and sausage back into the pan and mix well; season with salt and pepper as you please. I tossed in some paprika into the mix at this time.
- Pour the beaten eggs on top and be sure it creeps into all the nooks and crannies of the potatoes so that it holds the whole dish together!
- Sprinkle grated cheese all over the top.
- Add any extra seasonings you may want at this time (this is when I added herbs, such as the dried basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary).
- Sprinkle diced green onions on top.
- Cover the pan and let it cook on medium-low until the egg is set. This takes more or less about 10 minutes.
- Serve hot and fresh!
Great for a hardy, savory breakfast! You can use bacon, ham, or prosciutto instead, add more sausage, include shallots and garlic, use different herbs and seasoning (imagine using curry! But that's me. I love curry. ^_^), add veggies such as diced kale, peppers, or even mushrooms! The possibilities are endless! =D
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
The recipe comes straight from Alexandra's Kitchen!
This is currently cooling for 15 minutes in the kitchen while I salivate over the aroma of this freshly baked blueberry laced breakfast cake! =) When it's cooled and I've eaten a slice (or two), and my taste buds have objectively evaluated (Ha! How often can food be objectively evaluated? I suppose there are some parts that can be, but there are big parts of any food that just cannot be objectively measured, right?), I'll post a more artistic picture of this rustic goodness along with my thoughts, but for now...enjoy the recipe below!
Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Serves 6-8
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk
* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Update: (as promised, hee hee...!)
Oh my! If you are looking for something deliciously light, this is it! It looks dense, but the texture is actually very light and fluffy, moist and flavorful! The blueberries (by the way, I like to take fresh ones and freeze them in a single layer to save and use later. Frozen blueberries are nice because you can save them for later, and when you fold them into a recipe, they don't smoosh as easily and so the rest of the batter doesn't become tinged with the blurple blueberry juice!) and lemon add that sweet and tangy flavor to the cake, and the sugar sprinkled on top makes a nice, crusty top to add to the layers of texture and flavors that you'll find in this cake.
Definitely not just for breakfast, but definitely lovely served with a side of milk tea*! And even some cream, if you want to go all English tea on it. =)
*What is milk tea, you ask? WHAT? You don't know??? Hee hee...brew a nice cup of tea, preferably something stronger, like black tea ("red" tea in Chinese). Add sugar to your liking - I tend to go for 2 little scoops. Add some milk (evaporated milk is usually what I use, but any milk product will do) until the tea becomes a warm, caramel colored concoction, and drink! =)
This is currently cooling for 15 minutes in the kitchen while I salivate over the aroma of this freshly baked blueberry laced breakfast cake! =) When it's cooled and I've eaten a slice (or two), and my taste buds have objectively evaluated (Ha! How often can food be objectively evaluated? I suppose there are some parts that can be, but there are big parts of any food that just cannot be objectively measured, right?), I'll post a more artistic picture of this rustic goodness along with my thoughts, but for now...enjoy the recipe below!
Buttermilk-Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Serves 6-8
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. lemon zest or more — zest from 1 large lemon
7/8 cup* + 1 tablespoon sugar**
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup buttermilk
* 7/8 cup = 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
** This 1 tablespoon is for sprinkling on top
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 7/8 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or something similar) with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes. (Note: Baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
Update: (as promised, hee hee...!)
Oh my! If you are looking for something deliciously light, this is it! It looks dense, but the texture is actually very light and fluffy, moist and flavorful! The blueberries (by the way, I like to take fresh ones and freeze them in a single layer to save and use later. Frozen blueberries are nice because you can save them for later, and when you fold them into a recipe, they don't smoosh as easily and so the rest of the batter doesn't become tinged with the blurple blueberry juice!) and lemon add that sweet and tangy flavor to the cake, and the sugar sprinkled on top makes a nice, crusty top to add to the layers of texture and flavors that you'll find in this cake.
Definitely not just for breakfast, but definitely lovely served with a side of milk tea*! And even some cream, if you want to go all English tea on it. =)
*What is milk tea, you ask? WHAT? You don't know??? Hee hee...brew a nice cup of tea, preferably something stronger, like black tea ("red" tea in Chinese). Add sugar to your liking - I tend to go for 2 little scoops. Add some milk (evaporated milk is usually what I use, but any milk product will do) until the tea becomes a warm, caramel colored concoction, and drink! =)
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sticks 'n Stones
As stated on my facebook status just a while ago..."Woah! Both kiddos sleeping peacefully...AT THE SAME TIME! So I actually painted my nails, hee hee hee...it's been a while, it seems! =)"
Hee hee...they should be up soon though. But I got to relax. Paint nails. Catch up on blogging. All that good stuff, hee hee. =)
This is Cover Band's Sticks 'n Stones over Sephora by OPI Let's Do Lunch, for those that care to know. ^_~
Hee hee...they should be up soon though. But I got to relax. Paint nails. Catch up on blogging. All that good stuff, hee hee. =)
This is Cover Band's Sticks 'n Stones over Sephora by OPI Let's Do Lunch, for those that care to know. ^_~
Antenna Head
Aiva's funky hairstyle today, hee hee hee...=) Another picture to save for her future wedding, right? ^_~
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