Piglet's Workshop

Takoyaki Adventures ~ たこ焼き!

2010-11-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

Angela has a takoyaki maker and uses it all the time, just because she can - and of course because of how satisfying these little "dumplings" are. ;D One evening she invited me over for dinner and we had a blast creating and devouring these delicious Japanese octopus balls! Want your own? You can get one online - here's a fancy one.

Batter Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups flour
2 eggs
1/2 lb boiled octopus (chopped)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)

Toppings

Bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
Japanese mayonaise
Takoyaki sauce
Dried seaweed powder (aonori)

The batter is relatively easy to prepare. Combine the above ingredients into a bowl, and then drop a large spoonful into each of the molds.

Leave until golden brown. You can check to see if it is ready by poking it with a toothpick - it is cooked if the toothpick comes out clean.

Time for toppings! Add the takoyaki sauce, mayonaise, seaweed powder, and bonito flakes in that order.

We ate until we couldn't fit anymore into our tummies...

Thanks Angela! :D

- Candice

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Okonomiyaki

2010-10-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

After trying out Genki Living in Rowland Heights, Lemony and friends were disappointed to find that the Osaka-style okonomiyaki was not quite Osaka-style, and failed to meet our standards. At this time, it was decided that we would create our own amazing version of okonomiyaki, and this served as the basis of our next cooking adventure!

We began by gathering all the necessary ingredients:

Okonomiyaki batter
Green onion
Bacon strips
Cabbage
Yakisoba
Japanese mayonaise
Bonito flakes
Okonomiyaki/takoyaki sweet sauce

The first step was to prepare the batter in a large bowl. This was done by chopping up the cabbage and green onion into small strips, and adding water (as directed on the batter mix instructions) to the powdered batter mix.

Next, the yakisoba was pan-fried in a skillet and set aside.

Now it was time to cook the batter. A generous scoop was placed onto the skillet with a few slices of bacon sandwiched in the middle. For presentation purposes, it was shaped into a circle.

This was thoroughly cooked until the bacon was ready and the batter was slightly browned on both sides.

Finally, the fun part - putting it all together!

Start by placing the batter onto a large plate. Add a nice portion of yakisoba on top, and then a sprinkle of bonito flakes.

Lastly, serve with the okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mustard (criss-crossed over the top!). :D

Lemony's version

My version!

- Candice

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Panna Cotta

2010-07-07T23:03:00.000-07:00

Panna cotta is an amazingly easy dessert to make that provides a light yet creamy finish to any meal. I fell in love with panna cotta after trying it at a bakery served with fresh mangoes as a topping. The consistency is so smooth, and it practically melts in your mouth. I used blueberries as a topping in this recipe. The recipe calls for only a few basic ingredients:

4 cups (1L) heavy cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 packets powdered gelatin

6 tbsp cold water

fresh fruits for topping

1. The heavy cream and sugar were heated in a saucepan.

2. Vanilla extract was added as soon as the sugar was dissolved.

3. In a bowl, the gelatin powder was sprinkled over 6 tbsp of cold water. This was left to stand for about 7 minutes.

4. The heavy cream mixture was added to the gelatin mixture, and mixed.

5. The panna cotta mix was then divided and poured into separate bowl. It should be left in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow time for it to become firm. If you don't want to serve it in the bowl, lightly grease the sides of the bowl/container with olive oil to allow easy unmolding.

6. Serve with fresh fruits!!

The end result: deliciously smooth and so rich in flavor!

- Candice

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Beef Bourguignon

2010-05-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Julia Child and adapted by Ina Garten, this recipe should be rated as one of the most challenging I've tried! If you haven't already, pick up a copy of "Julia and Julia", and inspire yourself to take a stab at recreating this slow-cooked comfort dish. My motivation was to create a dinner just for Angela, and the hours poured into preparing this meal were well worth it. Gathering the ingredients alone was already a challenge, as shown below:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:

Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

The first step was to dice the applewood smoked bacon and sautee in a pan.

Next, the beef cubes were seasoned with salt and pepper and seared.

I decided to add some cucumbers and italian squash for a better variety of vegetables, and also because I like my dishes colorful! These were all chopped and stir-fried in a skillet.

I had fun finding out exactly what cognac was suitable for cooking, and went with Hennessy. This was added to the huge pot of veggies.

And of course, a whole bottle of pinot noir.

Look good?

Next, the mushrooms and onions were chopped and sauteed.

Let simmer for a few hours, however tender you like your meat to be. I left this for about 2 hours. And the final result:

Serve with a side of toasted baguette and butter.

Angela approves!!!

What a fun experience, do try it yourself if you're up for a challenging day of cooking. ;D

- Candice

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Wow, Crab Cakes!

2010-01-31T00:37:00.001-08:00

My good friend, Lemon Square'd puts me to shame when it comes to cooking. I had the delightful opportunity to taste a few of her dishes this weekend, and I wanted to share my favorite with you: crab cakes! I was very impressed that real crab was prepared for this.

Add mayonaise, veggies, and bread crumbs to the crab mixture.

Scoop out spoonfuls of the mix and use your hands to shape into the size and shape of your choice.Cover in tempura batter!

Fry in a skillet until each side is browned and crisp. (Emeril cast-iron skillet shown =P)
Place on towel to absorb some of the oil.

Serve with lemon juice or other sauce, such as pesto. So delicious!!!!!!

- Candice

Piyo Piyo Cupcakes

2010-01-14T17:03:00.001-08:00

Who is Piyo Piyo?
More here.
Now appearing on cupcakes!!!

om nom nom

Have a nice day!

- Candice
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A Toast to Toast

2009-11-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Check out these amazing toasters from the Toaster Museum! Creative, aren't they? :D

http://www.toastermuseum.com/index.htm

And now I must profess my love for toast. There are so many types of toast, from butter toast to milk toast to red bean toast and whole wheat sandwich toast. I eat toast almost on a daily basis, as it's my staple food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. My absolute favorite is thick butter/milk toast (with sesame paste topping)!

I even bought a book with 100+ recipes made with toast (100種土司的神奇妙用):
Here are some ways you can enjoy toast: :D

condensed milk/nutella!!

Here's a blog with a post called "Fun with Toast" http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2007/10/fun-with-toast.html.

Here's a restaurant in Asia called TOASTBOX! "http://www.breadtalk.com/toastbox/index.php"

honey toastsomething for breakfast?

One of my favorites:

honey/butter
banana choco toast or banana nutella toast!

eggs in a nest

and of course, the sandwich.

french toast bites

Toast as dessert.......ice cream in toast - WOW!

- Candice =P

Make bread in a rice cooker!!

2009-11-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

Guess what - You DON'T need an expensive bread machine to make bread! Check this video out at 2:43, it's a clip from Yakitate Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZlf5RySOsE

My friend Tiffany and I decided to try this amazing recipe out and make some "fluffy fluffy" bread. =) The first step was to convert all the ingredient measurements to a familiar scale:
Here is everything you'll need:
Begin by adding two packets of yeast to lukewarm water and letting it sit for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, combine all the other ingredients, adding butter last.
Yes, that's right, use your hands!
The dough should be relatively the same consistency throughout.
A demonstration of how to knead dough:
Don't pound it, rather apply pressure with the palm of your hand and continuously flip it to ensure even kneading.
Now, the fermenting step - place in the rice cooker for one hour and do not disturb it!
After one hour, close the rice cooker and turn it on! Cook for one hour. This is how it will look:
Flip it over and cook for another hour.
Then flip again, and cook for one last hour. (Yes, this process takes several hours!)

After hours of anticipation, the bread is done! We take it out and.......
CUT IT to see how similar it looks to the "fluffy fluffy" mentioned in Yakitate Japan!HM....it's a bit dry, so did the show exaggerate the bread, or was the recipe inaccurate? Well, we will try again! Next time we'll add a bit of variety by adding green tea, chocolate chips, and whatever else you may desire. :)

- Candice

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Chocolate chip pumpkin bread

2009-11-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a recipe suitable for the season and perfect for pumpkin lovers! Recipe courtesy of my friend Tiffany:

1.5 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1.5 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
2 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

This was quite a simple recipe. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well!

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Yay for Ghirardelli chocolate chips!
Pour the batter into a baking pan of your choice.
Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.
And voila, the finished result:
It was chewy in texture, which reminded me more of a brownie than bread. Tasted great though! This makes a great snack or dessert! =)
- Candice

Fried Mantou Buns and Black Sesame Rice Balls

2009-10-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a very fast and easy recipe for leavening dough for anything that calls for Chinese buns (mantou/饅頭), and a quick look on how to prepare black sesame seeds (hei zhi ma/ 黑芝麻) for desserts.

These recipes are from master chef Angela, of course! Lets begin with the mantou recipe. We add flour and yeast to lukewarm water.

Mix, cover, and let sit for a few minutes. The consistency should look like this:

In a separate bowl, prepare the other dry ingredients.
When the yeast mixture has finished leavening, add to the flour mix.
Angela demonstrates how to knead the dough!

Form a large ball with the dough.
Then roll out the dough onto a flour-covered surface. Make thin cylinders and assemble in layers.
Obtain a steamer. Place your dough onto a piece of paper and then into the steamer.

In process of steaming!
The finished result. Can you guess what animal the first one is supposed to be?

(Rabbit) =P
The next step - fry the buns in a skillet of oil until golden brown. Be careful not to overdo it!
Serve with condensed milk.
Black Sesame Rice Balls

We begin by making the sesame paste. Add sesame seeds, water, and corn syrup to a blender.
Once the mixture is finely ground up, transfer to a pot and heat. Add corn syrup and sugar to taste and for the correct consistency.
Using rice flour and water, we molded some rice balls. These were then dropped into a pot of boiling water - once they float, they are ready!

Serve with the black sesame paste:

- Candice

Souvenirs from Hong Kong: Illusionary Foods

2009-09-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Over the summer, both my friends Tim and Candice went to Hong Kong and kindly brought back some souvenirs for me:

Tim's gift:

My first reaction was to slap him, but then after giving it a double take I realized that this was indeed candy.

Candice's gift:

Isn't it cute?

It's funny how both of them managed to bring me foods that plays tricks on the eyes. I was more than eager to rip them open and see what lies inside-

So far after opening, the package is still determined to keep up its facade:

Each little pack comes with four fluffy pink marshmallow pillows that were actually pretty good quality in taste and texture. Really.

The back of the Dim Sum molding kit has awesome self-explanatory illustrated instructions.

The contents: clay, little serving dishes, molds, and a compressor.

Here we go-

Step 1. Pick out your mold

and determine where and what you want the first layer of colors to be on the surface.

Step 2. Relieve your stress and compress the life out of it.

Step 3. Unveil the mold and shake your head in disappointment.

Step 4. Be in awe of its miniatureness.

Here we have a BBQ Pork bun, an eggroll, two steamed buns, and a spotted blue cowfish.

After painfully observing my sad attempts at molding a proper fish, my miniature-adoring housemate, Lillian, happily shows off her mini sushi set:

"How the heck do they make these intricate masterpieces?"- I exclaim.

"Like this!"- Lillian chimes as she busts out her non-cooking cookbook:

My reaction went as follows- :O***

Note that these models are no larger then my thumb and that these can all be hand-crafted at home following these instructions:

To anyone who wants to attempt recreating their favorite dishes in this manner, I say Godspeed.

-Angela

Japanese Cheesecake

2009-08-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

I never liked cheesecake much because I didn't feel that the combination of cheese in a dessert went very well. Plus, it is so rich and high in calories that I feel terribly unhealthy after eating just one slice. For example, a typical slice from the Cheesecake Factory averages around 1000 calories (found here). Then one day, my aunt told me that she had bought some Japanese cheesecake from a local bakery and that I had to try some. I was weary and really didn't want to since I had this aversion to anything cheesecake related. Out of politeness and curiosity, I did end up trying it, and wow - I could barely even tell there was cheese in it! It was so light and fluffy, and reminded me of angel food cake.
I rarely find bakeries that sell this type of light cheesecake, so always saw it as a type of delicacy. A few days ago, I decided that I really wanted to make one of these Japanese cheesecakes for a birthday gift. I searched up a few recipes, made some adjustments, and succeeded on my second try! It is actually a lot easier than I thought, and does not require any hard-to-find ingredients.

I began with melting a block of light cream cheese, half a bar of light butter, and about 1/4 cup of milk in a pan. Once the mixture is homogeneous, remove it from the heat and let it cool down completely. (If you don't wait for it to cool, it won't turn out right, and the egg yolks can get cooked!)
Next, using half a dozen eggs, separate the yolks from the egg whites.

Add the egg yolks to the cream cheese mixture, in addition to an ounce of cornstarch and two ounces of cake flour. Add a pinch of salt and lemon juice (I used vanilla extract).

This next part is the most crucial, and the most difficult only for me since I don't have an electric egg beater. Whisk together the egg whites with 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar. Add 5 ounces of granulated sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Make sure to beat long enough, ensuring that oxygen enters the mixture, allowing the cake to be airy and fluffy.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the egg white mixture. Mix well, and pour into a pan of your choice. Add the pan to a water bath and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes at 325 degrees F.When finished, the tops should be lightly browned.

Carefully remove from pan.
I was very happy to see the final result - the cheesecake was indeed very light and fluffy!

You can garnish and serve with fruits, whipped cream, etc....but I prefer it plain.

Compare this to a normal cheesecake I made on another occasion.
You can really tell the difference in the texture of the cake.

Good luck with this recipe!

- Candice

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Tarte à la Tomate

2009-07-29T10:31:00.001-07:00

That means tomato tart in French. :) This recipe is courtesy of the Eynaud family! I always had the notion that the best breads and pastries came from "authentic" French bakeries, but I was proved wrong when I had the chance to try this homemade tomato tart hot and fresh from the oven. There's nothing like taking the first bite of cookie, cake, or tart as soon as it is removed from the oven!

For this tomato tart....
The ingredients:

THE PIE CRUST

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 to 6 Tbsp cold water

FILLING

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
one pack grated gruyere cheese
2-4 tomatoes (depending on size)
salt and pepper for seasoning
herbs of Provence, for seasoning

We begin with washing the tomatoes.

And then slicing them into thin slices as shown.
After preparing the pie crust by mixing all the above ingredients and rolling it out, we can carefully place it into our pie pan.
Cut off the excess pie crust from the edges and pat down evenly. Pierce the bottom of the crust a few times with a fork.
The fun part! Now, we can start adding the ingredients - beginning with two spoonfuls of Dijon mustard, evenly spread out.

Then, sprinkle on a generous amount of shredded gruyere cheese.Layer the sliced tomatoes over the cheese.

Then season with salt, pepper, and herbs of Provence. Not too much will be required since the Dijon mustard already provides a strong flavor.
Bake in the oven at about 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.

Slice to serve and enjoy!

- Candice

Bandai's Releasing a Toy Pot Sticker Maker

2009-07-24T03:37:00.000-07:00

More info here.

They've also released a somen noodle bamboo slide last April-

I can't wait to see what they'll come up with next

-Angela

ChowMama & ChowBaby

2009-07-24T01:37:00.000-07:00

How does 'organic baby food' sound?

Whether you're beyond your toddler years or easing into your golden ones, after browsing through ChowMama and ChowBaby, by Michelle Chrisman and Stacie Billis, it will start to sound pretty good.

-Angela

Tawainese Egg Pancake

2009-07-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

Something to crave from the Taiwanese night markets! In Chinese, 蛋餅! A very thin pancake filled with egg and anything else you can desire, such as pork fu, cheese, green onion, and ham. This goes for 30-35NT in Taiwan!

I didn't have the opportunity to eat this again until I discovered that the Asian supermarket sold these Taiwanese pancakes! (For less than $2, in all varieties!)

It's so easy to make! Simply crack an egg onto your skilletAdd the pancake by placing it directly onto the egg.
Flip when slightly browned. Garnish with whatever you wish! I used cheese.
Let it heat for another thirty seconds, and it's done. Fold it in half and serve with oyster sauce.
I like making this for a quick snack or meal because it always takes less than five minutes. :P

- Candice

Why Certain Foods Are/Aren't On the Shelves

2009-07-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to go see "FOOD INC.", a documentary on the food industry, by Robert Kenner.

Here's a trailer:

Unfortunately I''ve been fairly busy, so I will give my spcheel about it hopefully sometime soon. Until then, here's a vastly interesting video hosted by Peter Jennings pertaining to the consequences and controversies over the food industry.

FYI
I am not trying to nudge people and advocate anything reactionary, like, oh say, the swine flu scare. We've always known the industrialized diet has its consequences; here's just some more insight that will hopefully inspire some positive change, big or small.

-Angela

Couscous!

2009-07-07T00:34:00.000-07:00

Couscous, known as "kuskus" in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, can be described as a cross between rice and pasta. It is eaten as a staple food in Africa and the Middle East, as rice is in other Asian countries. Preparation varies depending on preference or country. Couscous can be served alone, in broth, cold or warm, as a side dish, main dish, or dessert. I like it best when served alone (mixed with some butter), and when it's light and fluffy. It can be served like a salad in a dish called taboule, mixed with various vegetables.

It is fairly simple to prepare, just as pasta is. I had the opportunity to try out this recipe during a camping trip, which proved that with limited ingredients and just a stove, you can prepare a delicious couscous dish.

I also prepared a side dish of bruschetta.

You just add the couscous to boiling water, and wait for it to expand. After 8-10 minutes, I added a massive amount of vegetables, including zuccini, tomatoes, and carrots, as well as some proscuitto.

Mix well and wait for the veggies and meat to cook! I decided to be creative and added curry powder to the second pot.

The finished result! As you can see, I made way too much, but that just meant more leftovers...:P

- Candice

My First Balut

2009-06-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally got to try Balut- a popular and common Phillipino and SouthEast Asian treat.

Amy plopped the balut on a silver egg cup for me at breakfast- my first thought was that this was an interesting piece of 'ugly beautiful' haha.

I honestly couldn't stop cringing inside but it smelled really good, like warm chicken broth. After a couple chews, I started to like it more and more, but my eyes couldn't stop staring at it's veiny shell so I couldn't get myself up for seconds. I would definitely not mind having it again sometime, thanks Amy!

-Angela

Simple, quick lunches!

2009-06-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

I'm always either on the go or have a time limit on how long lunch is. But that doesn't mean you need to compromise the quality of what you're eating! Don't succumb to frozen meals or having to go out and buy food all the time. Here's two favorite recipes I have that are so simple and take no more than ten minutes to prepare!

SEAFOOD CORN CHOWDER

This recipe is so versatile - you can add and take out whatever pleases you. The only standard ingredient I would suggest is having the corn and an egg.

This time, I used canned cream corn, shirmp, hot dogs, mozzarella cheese, pasta, and some salmon furiyake. It's so simple - just add the corn into a pot, a cup or two of water (depending on how you like the consistency), and wait for it to boil. After it boils, add the remaining ingredients and stir in one egg.

Yay, it's done! Tastes great with baguette too!

It's quite healthy too, and definitely filling. :)

SMOKED SALMON PANINI

This recipe was inspired by the #8 Nugget sandwich, smoked salmon on foccacia. It's so much easier and cheaper to make it yourself at home. Just obtain a sandwich maker or all-purpose George Foreman grill!

The ingredients are of course whatever you would like in your sandwich. I used smoked salmon, shredded imitation crab, tomato and cucumber slices, mozarella cheese, and a dill mayo spread.

Just assemble the sandwich as you like and put it onto the grill. It should be ready within 2-4 minutes!

Cut and serve with a side of fruit!

Looks delicious?

It was!

- Candice

Cooking Club's First Iron Chef Competition

2009-06-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

The Cooking Club on campus hosted their first Iron Chef competition last sunday and it was a blast.

Here are the officers/judges diligently tasting and scoring-

"What was the secret ingredient? "
"Who made what?"
"Did it actually taste good?!"

The secret ingredient: Peaches!!
Rules: Make and plate 1 appetizer, 1 entree, and 1 dessert in 1 hour.
Here are the lovely ladies of the opposing team: Stephanie & Jackie

My team: Johnny & Me

The competition was pretty fierce; here's Johnny grilling chicken in hot chipotle salsa (the steam kept fogging up his glasses so he took them off haha) and here's Stephanie pan frying her chicken in olive oil and making sure it stays tender.

Here's what Stephanie & Jackie cooked up:
Appetizer: Peach & Spinach Salad

Dessert: Fresh Peach Pie and Spiced Peach Turnovers
Stephanie said she preferred fruit pies that don't seem like they are lazily filled with mushy jam but with actual whole fruit. After trying their homestyle peach pie I agree; why mash up an already good thing?
Entree: Seared Chicken with Olive Oil and Peach Sauce
I am in awe of the fact they could bake from scratch (a highly sensitive and personally frustrating way of cooking) in under one hour. Good work!

Here's Johnny & Me going mad in the kitchen:

Johnny carefully plates Peach Chutney onto his Chipotle Chicken

Okay, don't do what I am doing and neglect a flaming stove! This is my careless attempt at candying tortilla chips which, thankfully, turned out well.

On our menu:
Appetizer: Peach & Mango Salsa with Candied Chips and Lettuce Wrap

Entree: Hot Chipotle Chicken with Sweet Peach Chutney

Dessert: Peach & Mint Gazpacho Topped with Whipped Cream

This year's Iron Chef winner was...

Thanks Johnny for your intense work and creative ideas! Go team!

Looking forward to next year~
-Angela

Crunch Time-Literally

2009-05-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Vick and I decided to really push it this weekend with our studies.

This is price we pay for knowledge...

Our poor blood sugar...

Fortunately, my new favorite snack promises to be nutritious and delicious- the latter of which I can confirm confidently.

Supposedly, it contains 20 different grains and beans so its packed with fiber. What I love about it is that its filled with a buttery creamy nutty center and the snack only contains 1g sugar and 3g fat (supposedly..); it's like peanut butter without the guilt! Peanut-butter lover paradise..

-Angela

How to Make: White Chocolate Mahjong Tiles

2009-04-29T23:04:00.001-07:00

this is all you need: white chocolate, a small paint brush, some sort of small-headed chiseling tool like a needle or toothpick, and food coloring

hmm yea; i definitely need some practice. willy wonka here i come..

-Angela

BBQ Ribs

2009-04-17T14:36:00.001-07:00

In my high school days, my grandpa would sometimes pick my younger brother and I up after school and treat us to a late lunch. Despite his modest aged appearance, he is quite the eloquent socialite and always sports aviator sunglasses with a charm reminiscent to Top Gun. He probably went out around town more often than I ever did as a teen (I prioritized my studies you see.. cough*cough*).

Anyways, my old old man knows the dining scene in Sacramento like the back of his hand, especially when it comes to burgers and the like. One day, he drove us around a dim alley lined with shady empty warehouses and a valley of cold rusty delivery trucks. He chimed, "I'm gonna treat you to something very special today; it's one of my favorite lunch spots"

Me and my bro look at each other with frightened eyes "Uhh...grandpa.. are you sure it's around here.. this place looks..not exactly family friendly"

He payed us no mind and continued driving confidently and smugly.

"Has he finally gone senial, sis?"

Finally he stopped the car in front of this long warehouse with faded pale blue paint and a lot full of cop cars and vans that looked like they've snuck in a couple immigrants in their time. Family-friendly was not the word indeed.

A thick trail of smoke slithered through the sky from the warehouse's small chimney and a blinking 'OPEN' sign welcomed us at the front door.

As my gramps opened the door and let us through, a long bench of tough and rough looking cops and truck drivers greeted us with curious stares. Instantly, however, my fears were distracted by a fragrant smoky and inviting smell tickling my nose. "Oh...that smells...goooood!!"

Before we know it, me and my family are chowing down on some of the best ribs I ever had at Junior's Texas BBQ.

Here's their sauce and homepage:http://www.jrtexasbbq.com/jr.htm

Softest, porkiest (i don't actually know waht connotation this word implies..) ribs in Sac! Go! Go!

Here's my attempt at following Jr's footsteps-

Here's a helpful video for grilled and oven-baked ribs:

I actually followed another recipe, so I can't say I know whether or not this guy is right; but from what he says the recipe sounds basically the same. Also, I like how the page the video came from allows a lot of room for individual preferences regarding flavor.

1) Season and Marinate!
I just layered on a lot of black pepper and minced garlic and some salt cause I figured the BBQ sauce would being overpowering anyway..but who knows until they try?

2) Spread on the BBQ sauce and bake at 325 degrees for and hour and raise the temperature to 375 for another 10-20 minutes.

3) Eat!

I used frozen ribs so that may have compromised the tenderness, so it wasn't as soft as I expected, but still very good. This was definitely easy, just takes time.

-Angela

Blueberry Pancakes from Scratch

2009-04-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

Finally!!

It's blueberry season, people!!

Bust out your weaved fruit baskets, frolic in a Disney-esque enchanted forest, and come home with enough blueberry gold to make any sweet fairytale grandmother croon with approval.

Or just hop on your rusty bike and pedal to your local farmer's market under the merciless heat and come out of the trip feeling that the blueberries were worth the eight buckets of sweat and sunburn.

Anyways, here's how I celebrated my favorite fruit over the weekend:

Made with love :). See how!-

The goods:

1 cup flour

2 eggs

2 tbs milk powder

2 tsp vanilla extract or almond powder (shown on the blue spoon)

3 tbs heavy whipped cream

as many blueberries that you can fit in your stomach

Here's my baby egg beater, cute huh? Plus, it's very handy when you just want to whip up some dipping sauce or dressing or something small.

Mix it all up and heat the griddle over medium-high heat.

My first attempt at making a heart was... off...

Much better!

After bubbles start surfacing, toss the blueberries on top and slightly layer on some more batter. Let it sit another 2 minutes, then cross your fingers and tell anyone nearby to take cover, and flip the pancake!

Successful?

- Angela

How to Make Kick-Ass Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2009-04-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have to say, my pizza could have given California Pizza Kitchen (which sucks anyways) or BJs (they know their pizza) a run for their money.

Here's how to save money on delivery and save your stomach from cheap-quality pizza overload-

You need two things:

1) An At-Home Bread Maker

2) A mini non-stick round baking pan for mini-sized pizzas which is great so people can individualize their sauce and toppings.

Pizza Dough:

3/4 cup water (80-90ºF)
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1) Toss all the ingredients in; preferably, throw all the liquids first, then the dry ingredients.

2) Set the settings to dough, which would start kneading the dough for about 1:15 minutes. 3) After it's done, the dough should be fluffed and puffed. Take as much dough as you need to make the crust as thick as you want. Try not to fold or handle the dough too much or else it will get dense and flat.

4) Glaze over your sauce- this was my weapon of choice:

A few recommendations:
-I sauteed the chicken breast bits in the buffalo sauce so the flavor would sink into the meat. If you put raw chicken on top of your pizza to cook in the oven, it will taste very very bland.
-Don't cook raw vegetables before you put it on top of your pizza, or else it will overcook and get mushy.

5) Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on it while its baking in case it burns.

Man I love my bread machine

- Angela

Nintendo Gamer's Cupcakes

2009-04-14T02:07:00.000-07:00

Candice and I want to work with marzipan soon.. maybe we can do Kingdom Hearts cakes.. :O****... If anyone is interested in joining us, drop a comment! :D

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Candy Art by Craig Kanerick and My Starburst Bouquet

2009-04-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

For my art class last quarter I had to make a sculpture out of materials that cost $2 total- this was the result!

On that note, here are some spectacular shots by Craig Kanerick. He is a candy photographer based in New York.

http://www.rockmade.com/wall/

I am in love with these colorful close-ups.
-Angela

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Slideshow Potluck & Recipes

2009-04-13T22:53:00.000-07:00

Photographer Casey Kelbaugh founded the non-profit organization in 2000 in Seattle, where he hosted more than 20 of these gatherings in his backyard. When he moved to New York in 2003, the events continued in his East Village apartment before landing in larger venues such as storefronts, art galleries and outdoor parks—not only across the nation but also in international locales such as São Paolo, Barcelona and Berlin.

Each Slideluck event usually encompasses a general-topic portion, as well as a themed segment in which participants submit images relevant to that particular subject. While past contributors have included the Guggenheim Foundation, Elliott Erwitt, Shepard Fairey, Chris Buck, Nina Berman and other well-known names, each exhibition also features an equally impressive number of amateur shutterbugs.

I think this is a cool idea; plus, it's very fitting for a campus event.

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Upcoming Slideluck shows will take place in Portland and San Francisco. See below for details.

Sandbox Studio
25 April 2009, 7-11:30pm
420 NE 9th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232 map
tel. +1 503 784 7331

Left Space Studio
8 May 2009, 7-11pm
2055 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA 94110 map
tel. +1 415 285 5338

Also, people post their recipes online- http://www.slideluckpotshow.com/index2.php?PageName=recipes

I'm definitely gonna give that 'Butterfinger Rum Cheesecake' a try; keep you posted.

-Angela

Crispy shrimp wraps and more exciting hot pot

2009-04-11T15:04:00.001-07:00

We were very fortunate to have guest Chef Jim stop by for a visit ready to try a recipe for crispy shrimp wraps in lettuce. At the same time, we were throwing a hot pot extravaganza so the house was packed with people preparing food!

The idea of the shrimp wraps was to add crushed ramen noodles to the diced shrimp and fried rice filling for the crispiness. We started out by dicing the shrimp:

And combining all the fried rice, shrimp, and ramen noodles into a pan:

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However, we made the mistake of adding the ramen noodles a bit too early so it became a little soggy and not quite so crispy.
Jim does a taste test!
Not bad! The end result:
Delicious!

Next, we had a whole team preparing hot pot dishes, such as wontons:
We also needed many vegetables such as onions.....
...and bok choy....

Angela's dukboki dish, which was delicious but VERY spicy!!!

The spicy pot:

The mild pot:There were a LOT of people....
And even more food....
If anything, we were successful in making everyone leave with a full stomach!

- Candice

High Tea Party

2009-03-11T03:22:00.001-07:00

Creating a classic high tea set! The menu:
*Tea sandwiches: cucumber + dill sauce, alaskan salmon
*Craisin and raisin scones
*Buffalo chicken pizza bites
*Mini turkey and broccoli quiches

We had a few friends over to help cook! We started with the quiche since it was the most complicated and took the longest to make.

Yes, we need broccoli! Wash, chop, and boil!

Chop up some turkey and onion.

Simmer in a pan.
Then add the broccoli. This is for the quiche filling.Looks good to just eat like this!

Next, we prepare the dough for the crust by cutting butter in flour. The dough was wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for half an hour to create a nice consistency.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and cut into circles with a cookie cutter. The size will be perfect for the shape of our molds.

This mold is also used for egg tarts!
We used a mini muffin pan for the bite-sized quiches.

Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Place some beans inside each crust to make sure they keep their shape.

Next, add the filling: broccoli, turkey, onion mixture and the egg, milk, and cheese mixture.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes.

They look so delicious!

The inside:

Next, we prepared some tea sandwiches. This was fairly easy. First, obtain some sandwich bread and cut off all the crust.

Prepare the mayonnaise by adding some dill, salt, and pepper. Chop up some cucumbers and other fillings of your choice.

Salmon sandwiches were the other variation. Cut into triangles.

Angela worked on her creation: Buffalo chicken pizza. She prepared the pizza by cooking some chicken breast and adding buffalo chicken sauce.
Add the chicken to the pizza dough. Dramatically sprinkling cheese onto the pizza:

Here's the pizza before baking:

And again after baking 20 minutes at 450 degrees:

We cut it up into smaller tea-sizes. :P
We next had Liz help out in making the craisin + raisin scones!
The dough was prepared and simply molded into the shape of your liking. We had hearts, a fish, a dog, and triangles! Don't forget to flour your hands when working with the dough.
Stick onto a cookie sheet to bake, and that's it!

Delicious! Best served with jam or butter.

The complete high tea set (scones on the side):

Of course, this was served with tea! We had a raspberry tea, and we discovered that with the addition of cream, it made a really delicious milk tea. This combination went just great with all this food. The high tea party turned into dinner for everyone due to the amount of food we made. One thing I forgot to add was the mini cakes - next time!

- Candice

Sweet and Spicy Octopus with Ginger Cod Fish Soup

2009-03-02T00:52:00.000-08:00

This is my first time preparing octopus so I was extremely delighted when this was the final result-

This is my own recipe, so I dubbed it "Sweet and Spicy Octopus"- very to the point, no?

Here's a more generic Chinese dish, "Seafood Soup"- I'm horrible at name-giving. Anyways, I like to put my soups in tiny bowls so that the solids (vegetables, meat, fish, etc..) aren't visually overwhelmed by the vast body of stock. What do you think?

I was motivated to make this dish when I was strolling through the immaculate aisles of Asian grocery goodness at the local Korean market and saw this plastered against a freezer's glass window. It was leaning against the foggy glass glaring at me as if wanting to escape; so I decided to stir-fry it and free it of it's icy prison. Well, actually, I just got cocky and saw the picture of the dish on the box cover and told myself, "Pssh, I could do that!"- and indeed I could!

Somehow, after the octopus thawed and its floppy fleshyness became more apparent; I started to chicken out. But I treaded on..

This is where I got lost.. I wasn't sure how to gut the head..so I just yanked out all the insides (i think it includes the stomach and the brain..)...

I cut the tentacles into 1-inch pieces.

Sauce:

1/3 cup Red Chili Paste

1/3 cup sugar or rice sweetener

3 tbs white vinegar

handful of chopped green onions (optional)

1 tbs sesame paste (optional)

Mix it all together thoroughly

Cook over a pan with some oil until it turns red-violet. Then toss in the sauce and lower the heat; add about 1/4-1/3 cup water (depending how thick you like it) and cook until the sauce thins and becomes homogenous.

Decorate with some shredded seaweed and toasted sesame seeds, and bam!

Piglets'...Blood!

2009-03-02T00:11:00.001-08:00

This past couple of weeks I ate soo much hot pot to the point where if you drew out my blood the amount of MSG in it would provide an excellent soup base in of itself.

Speaking of which, I confess that pig's blood has got to be my all-time favorite hot pot dish.

When I went to Taiwan I noticed that the pig's blood there is less dense and lighter than the stuff sold here. Maybe it's the way the pigs are raised? They also prepare it al dente, that is, they tend to cook it until right up until it's fully cooked, so it's still slightly fleshy. I personally prefer to cook it to death so it's nice and thick and meaty. My favorite way to cook it is with some uber-fermented kimchi; the blood really absorbs the flavor well. If you've never seen raw pig's blood there it is glowing fire-engine red on top of the blue tray.

Doesn't it look like it could burn right through your stomach? Heh, this dish is definitely for you spicy-lovers.

Here's the recipe for my "Kimchi Pig's Blood Stew":

Ingredients

- very fermented kimchi (at least 3rd-4rth week old kimchi is ideal)

- half 1/3 lb sliced tripe

- 2 bunches of enoki mushrooms

- 1/2 lb cubed pig's blood

- 1 tbs garlic

- 4 cups chicken stock, miso soup or anchovy stock

- 1 cubed tomato (optional)

1) Boil about 4 cups stock/soup and once it's bubbling toss in the kimchi and tripe.

2) Wait til it starts to bubble again and then toss in the blood, mushrooms and garlic.

3) Let sit for about 8 min. Add more garlic or seasoning according to how you like it.

Easy, no? And wah lah, top it over rice and you have yourself a delicious meal. I like this dish not only for its huge pact of flavor but because it looks more complex than it really is.

- Angela

Winter Hot Pot & Birthday MishMash

2009-02-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

The best way to combine food and friends is in celebration of birthdays! Angela put together a small hot pot dinner for all her February birthday friends.

Activities are a must at these gatherings, such as mahjong!

When it comes to scarcity of utensils, one must be creative. Yeah, eat cake with chopsticks!

The feast included two soup bases for the hot pot (one for those who prefer spicy soup), tons of eggs, dumpings, egg dumpings, enoki mushrooms, beef, fish, fishballs, kimchi, veggies, and noodles! Yum!

Watch out for Angela when she's in the kitchen!

- Candice

Cream Puff time!

2009-02-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

The following ingredients were used to make this delicious dessert:

1 cup water
3 1/2 ounces of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 egg whites

strawberries and strawberry powder

I decided to add some variation to normal cream puffs and threw in whatever I had on hand - this time, I used fresh strawberries and some strawberry milk tea powder. ;D The process is quite simple. Boil then simmer the water and butter in a saucepan, remove, and add flour. Return to heat. Combine the eggs and egg whites and add to the mixture. The dough should have a nice sticky consistency. Use a pastry bag to squeeze the dough onto a cookie sheet, whatever size you like. Baking times vary, but I used 400 degrees at about 20 minutes.

The filling is very versatile, as you can add ice cream (an easy favorite!), pre-whipped cream, homemade cream, fruits, etc. I chopped up some strawberries and threw some in with some homemade cream (heavy cream whipped for about 20 minutes) and strawberry powder - and voila! Strawberry cream puffs ready to eat!

This took a surprisingly long time to make, but was worth it in the end! Don't forget to top with powdered sugar!

- Candice

Baked Goodness!

2008-12-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite dishes to order at Hong Kong style bakery cafe restaurants is baked seafood pasta. Baked pork chop rice is equally delicious. :D I recently got a gratin baking dish, so I decided to try it out myself! My variation is personal sized, and uses rotini pasta with salmon and assorted vegetables. (And just as a side note, Angela has already posted her version of baked casserole pasta dishes.) The recipe is quite simple - requiring only the very staple ingredients with the addition of an oven of course.
Here's the restaurant style that inspired it all (baked lobster and bacon penne in cream sauce):
Let's begin cooking!
Boil some water and prepare the pasta:

Obtain a fillet of salmon......and dice into the size of your choice.

Toss the salmon with the pasta.Then add the sauce of your choice. I used a creamy afredo.

Transfer the pasta to a casserole dish and don't forget to top with a good amount of cheese (and breadcrumbs too, if you have some).Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown on the top, about 15 minutes. In the oven:And voila! Dinner is served!

Highly recommended to serve with a side of creamy corn soup and garlic toast or dinner rolls!

- Candice

MOCHI!

2008-11-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

Mochi is traditionally kneaded and pounded repeatedly with a mortar for its unique soft and sticky texture. For those who are short on time, there is a shortcut to making mochi! You'll also figure out that making your own mochi can save lots of money, as the ingredients are not expensive at all. Special thanks to my friend Peggy for teaching me this recipe!

Ingredients:
2 cups glutinous rice flour
1-1.5 cup water (add according to consistency)
1/2 cup sugar
potato starch (for dusting)

Filling options:
red bean (canned ok too)
sesame
green bean
peanut
fruit jellys

1. Mix the flour, water, and sugar in a large microwavable bowl.
2. Microwave for 2 minutes on high, taking it out to mash/mix every 30 seconds. Check for the right consistency; add water as needed and microwave longer if necessary. (Be careful, it's hot!)

3. Dust a flat surface and your hands with potato starch.
4. Knead the dough until it becomes homogeneous and springy - but it shouldn't be sticky - add flour if it is sticky. Make sure your hands are covered with potato starch so the dough doesn't stick all over you!
5. Take a ball of dough (any size you like) and form a bowl shape. Scoop in the filling of your choice and wrap the dough over it so it's enclosed within the dough. (this takes some practice..!) The dough can be pinched to seal the ball and rolled around in your hands to form a spherical shape.

6. Dust again with potato starch, and it's ready to be eaten!

Another variation, an imitation from a mochi shop in Hokkaido:

- Candice

My First Bread Pudding

2008-11-10T23:59:00.000-08:00

No one knows a good bread pudding as affluently and prestigously as the hosts of POSH NOSH:

"Are you just playing with our food, or are you serious?"with a scorning eye

Does it inspire you too?

Plain, cheap, white bread is a great medium for experimental cooking. It shouldn't be shunned at just because it's made of alchoholicky tasting potato starch flour and is as gummy as playdough when mushed about. Cheap white bread should be looked at as one of the ultimate challenges that tests your ability to turn something drab to delicatably fab.

As a kid, I would always try to recreate my favorite sweets with using generic white bread as the base, and I learned a lot of neat little recipes. You can make quick and easy cinnamon rolls by flattening a slice of bread and coating a layer of butter, sugar, and cinnamon on one side then roll it up and toasting it in the oven. Then you have a nice cinnamon stick to dunk into a side of frosting! You can also soak a dry slice with gravy and place between your sandwhiches to add some extra savory moisture to a dry turkey or chicken sandwhich.

Bread pudding is ridicously simple and it's easy to readjust the recipe to meet your specific pallet. Just add more sugar to sweeten, or raisins for extra chunkiness and tartness, or a higher concentraion of cream to make extra moist and creamy. It's all up to you.

The recipe called for stale bread but i just took some fresh bread and toasted it to dry it out. This helps the cream soak in better.

Toss in about 2 cups milk (I used evaporated milk which I love to use in a lot of my cooking because it maintains the flavor of rich cream without the piling calories), 2 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup sugar, some vanilla, cinnamon, rum flavoring if you'd like, some raisins, and about 4 eggs.

Tear the bread into small pieces in the pan and lovingly pour the mixed cream all over the pitiful, parched bread. Then bake at 350F for about 45 minutes.

My roommates could smell the sweet cinnamonny flavor warming up the second floor; it added a nice nostalgic holiday aroma for this chilly weather.

I am very proud of this one. It especially tasted wonderful when it was still hot and moist and eggy. I'll probably make this again for Thanksgiving :D.

-Angela

Tea Making in Taiwan

2008-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

During my trip to Taiwan this summer, tea making was by far one of my favorite experiences. (I'm sorry to say I don't remember the exact name or place of the teashop but once I do I will definitely update this entry!)

My old dorm buddy, Amy, showed Candice and me around the northern parts of Taiwan and she suggested that we stop by this little teashop famous for their self-serve tea making. Let me tell you, I was frickin' excited. :D

Andrew Zimmerman likes tea too-

We came on a weekday late afternoon so we were lucky to have the place all to ourselves. While we waited for the store manager to bring out the tea supplies, we got to glance around the walls of the teashop, which were filled with wooden bookshelves displaying numerous novellas about

all kinds of aspects about tea- like tea leaves, tea farming, modern tawainese tea, traditional taiwanese tea, modern contemporary taiwanese tea, and so forth and so on..my excitement just kept accumulating.

And then.. the teashop brewers walked out from their stock room curtain like wisemen bearing gifts from rich lands..(at least that's how I remembered it..). The tea supplies came lining up the tables like a little parade of precious floats marching towards my eager heart.. :D, anyways, on with the show!

Our tea of the day was a popular one; green tea!

Haha, Candice couldn't figure out what the white puffy beads were.

They were rice puffs, kinda like the ones in Rice Krispy Treats.

Inside the monster mortar was a mixed bunch of seeds and nuts

(sorry I got too distracted to remember to take pictures..), including

pealed peanuts and black sesame seeds.

Okay, tea grinding is no simple chore, my arms got pretty sore but these

snacks helped lessen the pain..Here's some homemade mochi dusted with peanuts.

Don't the rough black things look like coal? These were dried fruit, I'm guessing prunes, and some homemade chex with salty shrimp flavoring.

Eventually, after about 30 minutes of grinding and teasing from the shop managers about how shamefully weak we were, the tea powder turned into a smooth paste with a great nutty aroma. I was tempted to set some aside to spread on my chips, but no! This puppy has bigger and better plans.

So, was all this effort and time worth it? Ch'ya! The tea was buttery smooth and I love how the rice puffs contrasted with the drink. I could taste it all- the green tea powder, the peanuts, the sesame seeds, all the other unidentifiable whatnots, all in perfect harmony pouring through my mouth and body..yum..

-Angela

Korean Kickback with David

2008-11-06T23:29:00.000-08:00

Here's an (unrealistic) idea of what I want to experience before I die

David is my friend and Korean cooking instructor. His guidance is my first stepping stone to achieveing my (unrealistic) dream.

Anyways, David's not only savvy with the kitchen but is also fluent in conversational Korean and Japanese. David graduated last spring and is now setting forth on a new journey in Korea working on an English teaching career, I am very excited to see what pictures and stories he will be sharing with us in the future!

Here he is (forcing a very cheery smile) with his nicely prepared spread of popular and basic dishes.

Here are some of the goods: pickled yellow daikon, ground beef and beef slices, compressed tofu, and seaweed wrap.

Kimbap with Bulgogi

Chap Che 잡채
Bibimbap 비빔밥 before...

BAM! Bibimbap after a good tossing

Dduk Bokki 떡볶이

This dinner was definitely a nice casual sit-down with mounds of comfort food to warm our hearts.

Here's one of my favorite Korean Food Blogs that mixes first-hand experience and humorous commentary-http://www.zenkimchi.com/FoodJournal/

And here's a movie that keeps me pumping! Le Grande Chef!

- Angela

Foods with Personalities :)

2008-10-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

Presentation is 80% of the fun when I'm cooking! Plating a dish can be considered an art, and making it prettier means it will also be more appetizing and more enjoyable to eat. ;D I would highly recommend catching an episode of a cake decorating contest on Food Network if you haven't seen one before!

I've come to like giving my dishes a personality by putting faces on them.

I didn't make this eggo waffle, but it is too adorable to not post!

Extraordinary Crepes

2008-09-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce the crepe to you, a thin "pancake" skin used to wrap both savory and sweet fillings, originating from French cuisine. Now, please make note of the prononciation; in English, crepe is like "cape" but with "cr". In French, it is prononced "crep". Crepes can be eaten as meals, snacks, or desserts, and are so versatile as you can stuff it with anything to your heart's desire! My first experience working with crepes was in middle school, and I created a cooking show with some friends called "Van Can Cook", where we served banana dessert crepes with cinnamon and whipped cream. :P

In this entry, we will show you the wonders of preparing a salmon, mushroom, tomato omelet crepe served with potatoes and parsley.
The ingredients we used:
Lots of spices, potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggs, cheese, garlic, and parsley!
Peel and chop the potatoes.

We used some eggs sprinkled with pepper and spices for the filling.

....as well as some wild salmon and diced tomatoes.

The batter is prepared with butter, milk, eggs, flour, and salt, whipped to a smooth consistency.The hard but fun part of making crepes is wrapping them!

TADA!Served with mashed/fried potatoes, sour cream, and cheese, and garnished with fresh parsley!

Another variation made on a separate day is a chicken pesto crepe served with mixed greens and couscous.
A favorite - dessert crepe! This one has bananas, nutella, and whipped cream!

- Candice

Pizza Hut Pasta

2008-09-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

Right after I saw this I got off my lazy bum and tinkered in my kitchen trying to freestyle this home classic with some leftover chicken breast, canned tuna, cubed tomatoes, loads of cheese and heavy cream and garlicky seasonings. Baked at 450 degrees for 20 min.

I was very pleased to have produced so many different glowing shades of orange with my first attempt casserole. Mmm, I love me some chickeny cheesy crispy pasta.

-Angela

Appetizer Croquettes!

2008-08-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Master Chef Vick came armed with a croquette receipe one evening to share with us! What is a croquette? It is like the Japanese version of the hash-brown, except it is fried using a different type of batter and the potatoes are mixed with a variety of ingredients. We used groud beef and green peas! The recipe is actually quite simple:

1. Gather all these ingredients!

2. Sautee the ground beef with some onions in a skillet until fully cooked.

3. Peel and boil some potatoes and green peas.

4. Mash these ingredients together until you get a smooth, consistent mixture. (Yum, you can probably just eat it like mashed potatoes!)

5. Next, the fun part is molding the croquettes! Angela was a pro at this. You can really make them any size and shape you like!

6. Coat the pieces first in flour, then in a beaten egg mixture, and then in tempura batter (or coating of your choice). The egg mixture ensures that the batter will stick to your croquette!

7. Now deep fry the croquette pieces until golden brown on both sides.
Health-conscious? Blot out excess oil on paper napkins immediately after frying:

8. Serve as a side dish to any meal or just as a tasty snack!

- Candice :D

A Little Something Sour, Spicy, Salty and Sweet

2008-08-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

Gloria's Home-made MOSS BURGER Burger

"Why did you want to make a MOSS burger? "-Me (thinking that she could have just heated up some leftovers that laid out in front of her).

"Because I was sooo hungry! Haha"-Gloria

Ah, I've been there. When you get so hungry that only the most filling of foods (which usually requires precious time and energy to prepare) can only satisfy such a greedy gut. Sure, if you're really hungry just rip up a bag of chips or pop a can of spaghetios in the microwave-but why not amplify that feeling of satisfaction to the max by feeding a crying stomach that's willing to swallow any edible crud you throw at it and treat it with a meal worthy of being a called a 'hearty meal'.

1) Mold the rice with a little sesame oil and hon dashi into a patty 2) Fry over medium heat until it's crispy enough to hold itself.

3) Customize your own fillings and sauces, in Gloria's case she sandwhiched in some black bean and pepper beef and lettuce with chili oil sauce mixed with a little sugar and soy sauce.

The crispyness of the rice was soooo good, well done Gloria.

Vick's New Ice Shaver

It was only $5 at the 99 Ranch and had made its way to be Vick's most used kitchen appliance. Pro: I get to eat shaved ice to my heart's content Con: The damn thing sounds like nails on a chalkboard and makes me cringe with every crank

"Mashed taro is a must!"- Vick

Vick drizzles the condensed milk dramatically

Hot and Sour Soup and Fried Bean Curd with Mrs. Wang

This woman is one of my role models for providing wholesome motherly cooking. As I expressed my utmost admiration for her dishes, she graciously offered me a sweat deal:

"Angela, I will teach you to prepare 2 different dishes a week if you'd like"- Mrs. Wang

"Wow! Really? Thank you!" Me, in broken Chinese

"But, only under one condition. You must help me download my favorite dramas."

Eggs, black fungus, carrots, ground pork, tofu and bamboo shoots

Make sure to scramble the eggs with a little cornstarch and water before flowering it in the boiling water.

Salt, hon dashi, white pepper, white vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar.

Put in the cornstarch and vinegar and white pepper in last to adjust taste.

Now a great vegetarian dish- Fried Bean Curd

Wet bean curd ( IMPORTANT: make sure to pat dry with towels do prevent splattering when it's hit the hot oil)

Sauce: Soy sauce, garlic, white whine, sugar, chili oil, hon dashi

It was crispy outside and moist with tangy spicy sauce soaked in the inside a very easy and delicious dish.

My First Cream Puffs

Afterall that salty, spicy food I had a hankering for something sweet and creamy

For finishing touches i decided to drizzle some chocolate and sprinkle some confectioner's sugr on top, makes a major difference in appearence and taste.

Yes, they were as good as they look :)

-Angela

The Great Outdoors and Visualizing Jam

2008-08-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

During the summers as a kid, I grew up adventuring around and getting dirt under my nails in my grandparents' big backyard. They lovingly grew plump peaches, plums, pears, cherries, and lemons that we always picked together as a family activity. They also have a fishing pond decorated with lotus flowers that I would just stare into and fish in for hours. So when Candice called me up to go fruit picking all those memories of my grandparents' little summer getaway brightened me up.

We stopped at Impossible Acres, a quaint family-run farm in Davis that opens to the public for fruit picking with charges based per pound.

As you an probably tell from these great photos that Candice took, these fruits were delicious!

So what are some of the things you should you do with bundles of fresh fruit? Learn how to appreciate its form at a deeper and intimate level. "Huh?" Well, ask June Taylor-

This weekend Vick surprised me with a fishing trip to Fallen Leaf Lake south of Lake Tahoe; our target: Crawdads.

We used all sorts of bait and we found that crayfish have a taste for korean kalbi and drumsticks (our leftover dinner). With these flavorful baits we were able to catch about 4 pounds worth during our trip!

That night we had a real feast; Vick had never tried them before and was cynical about the fact that crawdads have very little meat, most of which concentrate on the thumb sized tail. But let me tell you, crawdads are like orange-floawored tic-tacs; tiny but punch a pack of awesome flavor, their strong seafoody flavor are very much worth the maticulous process of unshelling the little buggers. Plus, they make great convo food.

-Angela

Banana Yoshimoto & Building Bread w/ Matt

2008-07-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

I remember the first few pages of Banana Yoshimoto's novella, "Kitchen" moved me to such nostalgic heights that I was compelled to write up my will and request that my funeral be held in a well broken-in Indian restaurant's industrial-sized kitchen where waffs of aged spices and armies of rusted kitchenware overwhelm the atmosphere.. and after reading it for the fifth time it's getting easier to imagine haha..

"The place I like best in the world is the kitchen. No matter where it is, no matter what kind, if it's a kitchen, if it's a place where they make food, it's fine with me".Me and my bro, Matt, are considerably different, but the one thing that thwarts our sibling rivalry is our comman desire to be knowlegable and active foodies. So when I asked him to help me make some Chinese-styled buns he looked up at me with cool eyes as if to say,"Why else would I ask you to come home?"

I was so incredibly relieved that the dough rose as much as it did, last time I tried to prepare yeast I killed it by mixing it with 'boiling' rather than warm water, which killed the yeast. So don't repeat my mistakes! To help it rise i left it in the garage where it was very warm.

Do you spot the piyo?

The result? Well, my folks seemed to like it but I wasn't satisfied. They were soft, sweet, and looked like buns you'd find at your local Asian bakery..but I guess it needed something to stand out..well, the mystery can be solved with a second trial!

-Angela

Summer nights

2008-07-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

What is there better to do in 106 degree F weather than plan out what to eat for dinner? Well that's how Angela and I roll. We rounded up some friends, and got cooking, from shark fish to wrapping dumplings....it's all here!

Opening some packages of wonton wrappers...very happily!

The filling was prepared with beef (oops, forgot the shrimp)! We had several different shapes and "designs" for these wontons, and I personally think that Vick's won since his looked like a version of gold pieces of currency!

Angela was very much into the wrapping process. =P

The entire batch! Yes, we did make a lot!

And into the pot they go! When the dumplings float, it's a sign that they are ready!
A second item on the menu was an improv puff pastry filled with potato, corn, salmon, and bell peppers, with a touch of coconut milk for a sweeter flavor. :)

After baking and assembling:

The inside:
Some more ingredients to prepare noodles, made by Peter! He added shabu shabu meat and some veggies.

And here is a very nice kimchi soup (you can guess who made it if you have viewed previous posts)!

Shark fish prepared by Vick. Very unique, eh?

And now...it's BBQ time!
One of our special BBQ chefs, Brian, and Tiff!
An oil-free tilapia prepared by Jenny (yes, it's very healthy!):

Some hot dogs and buns with a nice presentation!

Preparing some fried rice:
I also prepared a side dish of corn, carrot, and potatoes:

A tomato sauce, spam, and egg fried rice:
A healthy salad prepared by Jenny, with an interesting salad dressing with mystery ingredients xD...

And you can't have a BBQ without chips and salsa!

Lamb kebabs, chicken wings, and some nicely seasoned catfish:
There was LOT LOT LOT of food, and even more leftovers!
Our guests, tasting the food!
All smiles must mean the food was delicious! =)

- Candice

Pazookies with Amy and Breast Enhancing Cookies...

2008-07-14T22:50:00.001-07:00

This is my good friend, Amy, and she asked me to join her in whipping up her first attempt pazookie and of course I couldn't turn down the yummy offer..

Tossed in the flour, brown sugar, vanilla extract, butter, etc and mixed with Amy's spiffy retro egg beater.

Topped off with some vanilla ice scream and you've got ideal comfort food. Isn't it just the right shade of golden brown? Props to Amy. I remember my first attempt at recreating a BJ-style Oreo pazookies (don't think dirty) turned out looking more like black scrambled eggs forced into the shape of a hockey puck, bleh.

So here's another zinger thrown into the FDA's lap: F-Cup Chocolate Cookies.

So I stopped by Oto's, the Japanese supermarket in Sacramento, and this caught my attention in the snack aisle-

Yup, these are 'breast-enhancing cookies' and the WARNING label emphasized that it should not be consumed by pregnant women or young children. Ummm...yea...they should have put it up on a higher shelf..maybe in the pharmacy aisle..and no, I didn't purchase this.

-Angela

Homemade Kimchi and Stinky Tofu

2008-07-07T23:31:00.000-07:00

See how happy Vick is to make kimchi? As a kimchi addict it makes me happy too.

I would like to briefly profess my love for kimchi; I eat it practically every other day as a soup seasoner, midnight snack (warning: this may lead to stellar morning breath), a sobering jolt in the senses after a hard night's drinking, and I apologize to my dormmates last year for stinkin' up the community fridge with my industrial size bucket of sour spicy goodness...

So here's the pepper, head of cabbage, salt for salt water, green onions, radish (optional), and preserved baby shrimp.. Let the cut cabbage soak in salt water for at least 6 hours, then mix in the rest of the seasonings

After about several days we got this:

Yea, it's definitely not gonna live to see tommorrow

Piglet's Workshop is Up!

2008-07-06T01:07:00.000-07:00

After hours of brainstorming, designing, planning, baking, and recipe-searching, Piglet's Workshop is finally up! Our first post is dedicated to the theme of baked goods. :D We recreated the following recipes:

Curry Puffs
Mango and Grape Cinnamon Pastries with Fresh Cream

Baked Apple Dumplings with sweet vanilla filling
THE MAKING OF....
All of our fresh ingredients used in these three recipes.
CURRY PUFFS
Preparing the chicken curry filling:
1.) Dice the chicken breast.
Cut the onions too.

2.) Boil potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables until soft. Remove from stove and dice.

3.) Put all the diced ingredients into a pan and add the curry powder of your choice. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.

4.) Prepare pastry dough. Begin by creaming butter and sugar.

5.) Knead the dough, getting as much air in as possible. The dough should look like this:

6.) Flatten the dough with a rolling pin and cut out small circles of dough using an inverted cup or wine glass. Add a spoonful of curry filling and close the pastry, using water to make sure the dough sticks at the edges.

7.) Arrange the curry puffs about one inch apart from each other on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until puffs are golden brown.
The finished curry puffs!
Inside:
YUM YUM!

MANGO GRAPE PASTRIES
1.) Unwrap a package of wonton wrappers or filo pastry dough and put each piece into a the mold of a muffin pan. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until edges are slightly browned.
2.) Prepare a filling by whipping a pint of heavy whipping cream. Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and confectioner's sugar to taste.
3.) When the dough has finished baking, remove from pan and begin adding the filling.
4.) Add chopped mangoes and grapes, and garnish as you like.

5.) We added confectioner's sugar for a snowy effect! =)

APPLE DUMPLINGS
This recipe consists of two main parts: Baking apples and pastry dough!

1.) Prepare the pastry dough by creaming butter and sugar.

2.) Core and peel apples, removing all seeds.

3.) Knead dough with rolling pin (or a substitute, such as a Gnarly Bear bottle =P) and flatten.
Cut out a square of dough and begin wrapping the peeled apples.
4.) Wrap the dough all around the apple, with the dough pieces all going the same direction. To make the dough stick together, brush with egg white.

The entire apple should be covered in dough when finished and ready to be baked.
5.) The apples are brushed lightly with beaten egg yolk, and put into the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The heat is then turned down to 280 degrees and baked for another 30 minutes.

After 50 minutes of baking, take out the apple pastries.
6.) Serve warm, and drizzle each apple with maple syrup.

THE FINISHED RESULTS

The taste test?

Angela gives it a thumbs up for taste!

Phew, this took Angela and I a total of five hours!

- Candice