From Horses to Photography

Artichoke: A How To

2014-05-14T20:48:00.002-04:00

"At least you"ll never be a vegetable, even artichokes have hearts"

- Amelie

Since one of my favorite movies came out, I have always been stuck with deciphering the meaning of artichokes having heart. Being a French movie, at the time I found this mild flavor and intricate vegetable very exotic. I thought only those who are like Amelie, living in a fantasy land would have the luxury to have artichokes.

A few years later, artichokes (the canned ones, that it) start appearing on pizza, salads, pasta...etc. Now, seems to creep into the big chain super market like pomegranate once did. There seems to be a serge of marketing for new fruits and vegetables. It's crazy to say, but I have not had a fresh artichoke until last week.

From one of my podcasts (Splendid Table), I learned what you should look for when choosing artichokes:

Leaves that are tightly packed (unlike what I had), bit of brown spots is fine.
Hold the artichoke next to your ear and squeeze the artichoke. Yes squeeze. It should squeak, like squeaky fresh cheese curds.
Of course, no visible damages/molds etc...

Artichokes have two prime seasons, one early spring and another late summer. At a dollar piece, it's a new vegetable worth while to try. After buying these two artichokes weeks earlier, I finally took them out from the back of the refrigerator and baked them.

To cook artichokes, cut the top fourth portion off and trim the bottom stem. You want to cut off the top enough to see some purple. So more than what I did. Spread the leaves apart. Sprinkle the top with fresh juice of one half lemon, minced garlic, salt and drizzle with some olive oil. Wrap the artichokes in foil and bake for 40-60 minutes at 425 degrees. Mine were done at 40 minutes.

You can also steam or boil artichokes. Boil these babies in water with salt and acid (vinegar, lemon juice) to prevent darkening.

To enjoy artichoke, remove each leave and dip in garlicy butter sauce. Scrape the leave between your teeth for the flesh. Discard the flesh. The artichoke heart is in the middle, cut it open and scoop out the fuzzy part. Enjoy the heart!

As a dietitian, I always tell people to try new foods especially vegetable. Artichokes have a mild flavor that I think most people would enjoy. The prepping and eating may be something new, but it's worth the adventure!

Greek-Style Yogurt

2014-04-21T21:34:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't noticed, there is something about this tangy and creamy dairy product that Americans are obsessed about. It's Greek yogurt (or Greek-style yogurt, for those that are not made in Greece). At first I thought it was another fad diet people are through, like dehydrated fruit pieces in dry cereal. But it looks as if Greek yogurt are the parasites of the refrigerated section. This yogurt phenomenon is growing so rapidly that it is taking over the dairy section. Supermarkets are to make space for new products that good ol' margarine has to move out of the space (so long margarine in a spray bottle). Brands even have to make cuts among its products to include Greek yogurt to fulfill people's crave.

There's an excellent podcast from BBC Food Programme on the Greek yogurt bloom. Yes, the obsession extends beyond America. I think this obsession caught on the end of the yogurt train starting from the 70s and got off at today's healthy-loving era. Simultaneously, people are on this "I need more protein!"kick. The reason Greek yogurt has more protein is because the yogurt is strained with more liquid (whey) removed. This makes a more concentrated product than regular yogurt, hence more nutrient dense especially protein.

Its texture and tanginess that often off puts people. My self included, at least at first until I tried Fage. It's one of the best tasting Greek yogurt I ever had. But at more that $5 a carton, sometimes the cost throws me off. It's a love-hate relationship.

You probably guess by now, I did what any frugal foodie would do.

I made my own yogurt. I can't exactly call this "Greek yogurt" since this was not made in Greece. (Read about the debacle on Chobani's loses on "Greek Yogurt" Legal Battle in U.K. over the use of the word "Greek"). But the idea is I make yogurt, strain yogurt, enjoy yogurt.

The process is very simple, but requires some "babying" and time. I used a neck heat pad to maintain the temperature at 90-110 degrees. But there are lots of methods on maintaining the temperature, such as setting the oven at warm (or cooler) and incubate the yogurt over warm water. Some recipes called for dried milk powder for better texture, but mine turned out great. Straining time all depends on how thick you like the yogurt to be. The leftover liquid (whey) can be used to make bread, ricotta cheese (if you are bringing this homesteading to the next level), juicing, soups, etc...

Homemade Greek-Style Yogurt
Recipe adapted from seriouseats.com

4 cups of good quality milk (fat percentage is up to you)
2 tablespoons of yogurt (as starter; Greek or regular is fine)
Cheese cloth

In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, bring milk to 180°F, stirring regularly to prevent scorching. Once milk has reached temperature, allow it to cool to 110°F.
When milk has cooled, add 2 tablespoons of yogurt to the pot and whisk thoroughly to combine.
Pour milk and starter mixture into a 4 quart container and cover with saran wrap. Place the container in a warm environment and keep the temperature around 90-110°F overnight (6-8 hours) until yogurt has set. (Yipee! You've successfully made yogurt!)
Pour the yogurt over a large container with two layers of cheese cloth over it. Allow yogurt to strain through the cheese cloth for 6-8 hours or until desired thickness is achieved.
Refrigerate and enjoy!

Ode to the Mallow!

2014-03-02T19:51:00.003-05:00

There were a few things occurred the last two weeks that brought some emotions into my life.

Here are those things :
1) Seeing AT&T's Noelle Pikus-Pace Olympics training commercial every night, and later to see her win a silver in women's skeleton event.
(See commercial here: http://youtu.be/7505xlW_zik)

2) Watching Meryl Davis and Charlie White's figure skating performances that brought them the gold medal.

3) Watching repeats of the Paralympics commercials.

4) When we were digging in our backyard to put in raised garden beds, and Jake cut the cable/internet line with the shovel...on the last day of the Olympics.

You would agree if you are an Olympic fanatic like me.

What would you do on a TV-less night when all you can think about is the final events of the Olympics?

You make marshmallow.

Fluffy, spongy, and white mallows dusted with powdered sugar over a bon fire. That was how we spent our TV-less night. Once you have this homemade stuff, you'll never go back to the big brand names.

The mallow saved the night. It turned out, having no TV and internet became one of our most enjoyable nights at home. I was binge watching the Olympics and other TV shows (last season of Dexter and House of Cards), that it became a routine to turn-on the TV every night. We decided to have a bonfire in the backyard and I started looking for marshmallow recipes because it's not a bonfire without something roasted on it. This recipe was easy and I had everything in the pantry ready to go. Ode to the Mallow!

Marshmallows
Recipe from Gourmet

About 1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup hot water (about 115°F.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites*
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners' sugar.

2. In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand to soften.

3. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F., about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

4. With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer (see below for my notes). In a large bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and sift 1/4 cup confectioners― sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to 1 day.

5. Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up 1 corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and let drop onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly 1-inch cubes. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar into a large bowl and add marshmallows in batches, tossing to evenly coat. Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.

** It's easier to beat egg whites while the sugar mixture is heating over stove. Set egg whites aside, wipe bowl clean with a paper towel then pour hot sugar mixture into the mixing bowl. Beat sugar mixture until tripled in volume then add in egg whites. Beat until just combined.

Korean Love

2014-02-23T20:44:00.003-05:00

When I was 10, my family moved from Taiwan to Hong Kong. My parents decided to put my sister and I into a Canadian international school. The study body at this school was 5% foreign-born Canadians and 95% children of Asian expats who spoke little English. Naturally, cliches of various nationalities formed. There were only a couple of Taiwanese kids at the school, and somehow I ended up hanging out with the Koreans. It was the beginning of my love for Koreans food.

My best friend in elementary school was Korean. I envied her lunch of kimchi and different pickled vegetables, Korean sushi (not to e confused with Japanese sushi!), flavorful beef slices over rice. Every lunch, she had an assortment of containers for each side dish. While mine was one-box-fits-all-leftover lunch. I remember looking forward to her birthday party when I was in 5th grade, I wondered all day what Korean dish was going to be served. It was chicken wings from KFC. Big disappointment.

I requested Korean barbecue whenever my family goes out to eat and I was ecstatic when my family took a vacation in Seoul in 2002 right after the World Cup. I ate as much kimchi as I could, along with the most delicious dishes I have ever tasted. Though similar ingredients as Chinese cooking, there is just something about the ways the flavors are brought with the fermentation and spiciness.

Since I moved to the United States 10 years ago, my only time for another hearty Korean meal was in San Francisco. Satisfying, yes. The thought of having ten side dishes in front of me with a bowl of boiling Soondubu Jjigae (kimchi tofu stew)...hmmm...

For my birthday this year, I requested Han Woo Ri, a "fast Korean food" restaurant on Limestone in Lexington. Despite its positive reviews on Yelp.com, the dishes somehow hit the flavor spot but greasy. There was no side dishes, spiciness was zero. Another disappointment. So I do as what foodies do, I make Korean food. Surprisingly easy, my first batch of homemade kimchi brought all the childhood memories of playing with a group of Korean girls and eating lunch with my best friend. Yes, fermented and spicy napa cabbage brought me good memories. Isn't that why we eat?

Kimchi
Recipe from CHOW.com

1 (2-pound) napa cabbage
1/2 cup kosher salt
About 12 cups cold water, plus more as needed
8 ounces daikon radish, peeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
4 medium scallions, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup Korean red pepper powder
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup peeled and minced fresh ginger (from about a 2-ounce piece)
1 tablespoon minced garlic cloves (from 6 to 8 medium cloves)
2 teaspoons Korean salted shrimp, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1. Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 2-inch pieces, discarding the root end. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt, and toss with your hands until the cabbage is coated. Add enough cold water to just cover (about 12 cups), making sure the cabbage is submerged (it’s OK if a few leaves break the surface). Cover and let sit in room temperature for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

2. Place a colander in the sink, drain the cabbage, and rinse with cold water. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid and transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Place remainder ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.

4. Add the cabbage and toss with your hands until evenly combined and the cabbage is thoroughly coated with the mixture.

5. Pack the mixture tightly into a clean 2-quart or 2-liter glass jar with a tightfitting lid and seal the jar.

6. Let sit in a cool, dark place for 24 hours (the mixture may bubble). Open the jar to let the gases escape, then reseal and refrigerate at least 48 hours before eating (kimchi is best after fermenting about 1 week). Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Vola! Thanksgiving 2013!

2013-12-01T16:35:00.003-05:00

A day and half spent in the kitchen, one 10 pound turkey, and a pound and half of butter later, a great Thanksgiving feast was born. There is something about being busy in the kitchen brings about a sense of calmness in me. I love being able to juggle several recipes at once and tackling the most complicated recipes.

My friend's fresh mozzarella, tomato crostini with balsamic vinegar reduction, and another crostini with prosciutto, arugula, and goat cheese as appetizers.

I started brining the bird Wednesday night (see my Thanksgiving menu here), and made two pies, and a pot full of stock. This year I used Bon Appetite's Herbed-Roasted Turkey and Apple Cider Gravy recipe. The meat came out juicy, tender and flavorful. I am going to brag a little bit, but this was the best turkey I have ever had. The gravy was a great balance of slight hint sweetness of the apple cider and savory herb flavors.

The great Thanksgiving feast with my new Fiestaware.

Honey Pecan Pie from Cooking LIght

Wilted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apple from Joy of Cooking

After doing lots of research on stuffing vs dressing, I am 100% behind dressing. The thought of bacteria infested raw turkey juice seeping into the stuffing gives me the chills. This Italian Mother-In-Law Dressing recipe from Bone Appetite calls for lots of ingredients, some odd ones like green olives. I included mushrooms into the dressing. The different ingredients came harmoniously together and created a perfect meatless dressing with the meat.

As great as the pictures look, not everything turned out all perfect. At least not my left index finger. An hour before guests were about to arrive, in the middle of chopping flat leaf parsley like a mad woman, I chopped off half of the top of my nail along with some fleshy part. Ouch, yes! I immediately bent over the kitchen sink and watched drips of blood turned into trickling stream down the drain. Disgusted? I was, The sight of blood made my knees wobble and light headed. Jake cam running down the stairs just as I was lying on the floor.

Don't worry, none of the my fingernail or flesh made their appearance into this plate.

One of the few things I had Jake help was adding the bourbon into Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. An hour later, I noticed the streusel of Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole had a hint of bourbon smell. Turned out the Jake added bourbon into the streusel mix, instead of the cranberry sauce. What's a Kentucky Thanksgiving without some more bourbon?

Half a bottle of bourbon, a chopped finger, and a food baby all made another successful Thanksgiving. Cheers to another year and looking forward to the next one.

Thanksgiving Menu 2013

2013-11-23T15:26:00.003-05:00

My favorite holiday is sneaking upon me. I look forward to this one time cooking extravaganza, when fine ingredients, painstaking cooking and time will pay off with the grandest meal of my year. Yes, I love hosting Thanksgiving. This year I am hosting for 5 people, just the right amount of food preparation before it gets out of hand.

Working full-time and planning a made-from-scratch Thanksgiving meal is another job itself. Every year I take great pleasure in doing some serious search for the perfect menu. Although this year's menu may need more decision making, I narrowed down to the following:

The Bird: Herb-Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy from Gourmet

Stuffing:
The choices are limitless, from cornbread and oysters to wildrice. Yet the one thing I don't comprehend is why must there be another meat in stuffing when the purpose of stuffing is to be paired with another meat?

Italian Mother-In-Law Dressing from Bon Appetite
Wild Rice Dressing with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Candid Pecans from Joy of Cooking
Corn Bread Stuffing with Bacon and Greens from Food and Wine

Stuff or not to stuff is another question. Are a food safety police (me, for one) or who-cares-I-just-want-juicy-flavor-stuffing person?

Sides:
Wilted Brussels Sprouts Bacon and Apples from Joy of Cooking
Sweet Potato Casserole from Food and Wine
Roasted Brussels Sprout and Apples from McCormick

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

What's the Deal with Pumpkins?

2013-11-14T19:54:00.002-05:00

Like many million of Americans, I go crazy with pumpkin during this season. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream/shake/custard/pudding, pumpkin seeds... In my pantry, there are 5 cans of pumpkin puree waiting for my next what-can-I-add-pumpkin-to food creation.

People have become so in love with pumpkins that there are pumpkin-flavored everything in the store. Bloggers around talk about their pumpkin obsession and what new creations they have made with pumpkin. Huffington Post has a slide show on what pumpkin products out there. But if you eat a spoonful of pumpkin puree out of the can, it kind of tastes like nothing. Like baby food with a mild distinct taste. Actually no pumpkin flavored food taste like the real deal. Especially Starbucks' PSL. My pumpkin obsession is limited to the real stuff, not some pumpkin spiced chocolate, or even Pumpkin Spice Pringles.

Last year I got a sugar pumpkin from my CSA basket, which I used to make a pumpkin pie. The real deal. It heavenly, made me no longer want to look at a can of pumpkin puree. But let's face it, who has time to make pumpkin puree out of real pumpkin everyday. I would need at least one sugar pumpkin a week.

So what's the deal with pumpkin?

NPR has a article, "Why Americans Go Crazy For Pumpkin and Pumpkin Flavor Stuff", it says that Americans love pumpkins for the sake of farm life nostalgia. I highly doubt Starbucks' PSL lovers think of farm life before they snap a classic picture of themselves holding this signature fall drink.

To me, pumpkin is not only the quintessential ingredient of autumn, but also the start of a cerebration time. Although as a dietitian, I am biased to this super food packed with fiber and vitamins. This bright orange squash of various sizes kicks off the season of eating festivities, of which my favorite: Thanksgiving.

Whether it's nostalgia or not, pumpkin brings the fond memory of comfort food and cozy sweater. Sound cheesey? Well it is, aren't we all suckers for pumpkins?

Pumpkin Pancake
(Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction)

1.5 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 1/3 cups pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, whole milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vanilla.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.

3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or nonstick frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a thin spatula, carefully flip each pancake and cook until browned on the underside, about 2 minutes more. Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. If desired, top with additional toasted pecans, butter and high quality maple syrup.

Incredible Food Show 2014

2013-11-03T20:47:00.001-05:00

One of Lexington foodie's (me for one) highly anticipated event was the Incredible Food Show last Saturday. To be honest, I was not all too excited about the Deen Brothers as the special guests of the event. That was until a few weeks before the event, the show producer asked me to one of the judges for the show. I was delighted and accepted the challenge as a judge for the savory category. With 37 booths on my list to judge, I thought I was in foodie heaven...until I was sampling the 11th beer cheese and cracker.

Here are some of my favorites from the show:

Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese from Barren County, Kentucky has handmade artisan cheese. It got the Honorable Mention of Savory category at the show. My favorite product of all the samples was their Wheel of Awesome which was a Brie cheese. It was an awesomely and creamy soft cheese that melted in my mouth.

Started by Sylviana Herrin in early 2013, La Petite Sucre is a handcraft macaroon boutique that only cater customs orders for private events. This booth won the Best Booth Display of the show. I think Herrin has not only delivered beautiful presentation, but also perfected these small and colorful French desserts. When I tasted the blackberry macaroon (not knowing this at the time), it was no doubt the ingredients used were the top notch, as well as the painstaking efforts put into making these delicate sweets.

My favorite Kentucky Proud producer, Sadistic Mistress. Her hot sauces are one of a kind. Sadistic Mistress knows her peppers, with a line of 13 hot sauces, each pairs well with various food items. We got "The Safe Word Is" and "She Ain't Pretty; She's Hot". Creative names and spicier than hot sauce, that's Sadistic Mistress for you.

I have a secret. Instead of tasting First Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a piece of bread, I drank it. I would drink a cup of this olive oil if I could. It's California blend was named "One of the World's Best Olive Oils" at the 2013 New York International Olive Oil Competition. Their olive oil has a fruity aroma and buttery taste, yet without the overwhelming "greasy" flavor. I can't believe it took me this long to find this.

Nevertheless, I skipped the Dean Brother's presentation..twice. But I was super excited to meet one of my favorite chefs from Bravo's Top Chef, Chef Edward Lee. His new cookbook "Smoke and Pickles" blends in Lee's Korean background and a twist of Southern cuisine. From making Korean style pickled vegetables to Kentucky's distinct bourbon and Southern cooking, as well as Lee's stories of growing up and becoming a Chef, the cookbook is worth every penny. Instead of asking him intelligent questions like "How did being on Top Chef help you start your restaurant", I started talking endlessly about Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese. Cheese? Really?

Being a judge at the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food show was a great experience in learning and tasting what Kentucky has to offer. I love talking to the food makers to find how they come about making their products. Although I think it comes to a point when too much beer cheese just starts to taste the same. Even though each beer producer has his/her distinct spin on the cheese, I think Dad's Favorites has the most unique and distinct beer cheese of all.

Besides beer cheese, bourbon this and bourbon that was another trend of the show. Bourbon hot sauce, bourbon barbecue sauce, bourbon salsa... Let's see what else we can add bourbon to and make it more "Kentucky". What's wrong with a good ol' fashion straight bourbon?

I enjoyed this year's Incredible Food Show, I met lots of enthusiastic Kentucky food producers as well as another fellow Kentucky Food Blogger Rona Roberts of Savoring Kentucky (check out her blog, Rona is an excellent food writer). Till next year, for another stuffed belly.

Share the Lex

2013-10-09T20:05:00.002-04:00

This video came out a few weeks ago. Since then, I can't stop watching the first 30 seconds.

The video has a quirky sense of humor that I love. It also makes me think about my life in the L-E-X.

Today is the 1008th day since I move to Lexington. Growing up in a busy and crowded city like Hong Kong, it was hard to imagine there's a place called Bluegrass somewhere in America. When I first moved here in January of 2011, I didn't think I would fall in love with this city. This Love Letters: Lexington, Kentucky by Megan Smith of The Art of Homemaking and this video were just reminders of how much I love this place.

It is in Lexington where I got engaged, married, bought a house, and kicked off my career. Where I met several of my very good friends. Of course, it is where how this blog got started. On the days when I take Paris Pike to work, I am amazed at the beauty of the Bluegrass, a place that I now call home.

It is in Lexington where I learn how to bet on horses and appreciate bourbon. Where I found a deeper love with (Southern) food, from barbecue to cheesy grits to fried chicken. With all the new restaurants and food events popping up around Lexington, this is becoming my foodie heaven.

Watching the video makes me want to Share the Lex and my love for it. As I head into the third year of living in this love city, I am anxious to see what it has to offer. Whether it's stuck in traffic on Nicholasville Road or heading downtown to tryout a new restaurant, in the end, what matters is the city I am in. I embrace what the LEX has to offer and happily becoming a tiny part of it.

CRAVE Lexington 2013

2013-09-25T14:40:00.003-04:00

For weeks I counted down to the first Crave Lexington. This outdoor foodie event was organized by the Simley Pete Publishing with partial of its proceeds to the amazing aquaponics system FoodChain in downtown Lexington. It was a fabulous food and music event featuring several of Lexington's top notch restaurants, such as Cole 735 Main, Azur, a la lucie, to name a few. I got to try food items from my restaurants-to-try-when-I-am-rich list without breaking the bank.

My favorite dish of the night from Nick Ryan's Saloon: Shrimp and Grits.

Wonton chili beef nachos from Thai Orchid Cafe

Hummus and chips, followed by tiramisu from Shakespeare & Co.

With numerous new restaurant popping up around Lexington area, this event adds another notch to the local foodie scene. It was indeed a celebration of "all things from scratch", nothing says "local first" than this event. It was a chance for Lexingtonians to get together and learn about not just FoodChain, but also culinary techniques and new upcoming restaurants.

Besides sampling gourmet hours d'oeuvre for the price of $1, $3, or $5, there were cooking demonstrations throughout Saturday. I missed the bigger cooking demonstrations in the early afternoon. Together with the Kentucky Cattleman's Association, the Slice and Save demonstration with Dr. Gregg Rentfrow, brought a whole new level of meat cutting to our lives. It's all about portion control with a hunk of rib eye, those cattlemen are smart.

My new hubby participated in apple streusel demonstration with Jim from Bluegrass Baking Co.

Nutella and banana crepe from La Petite Creperie.

One restaurant I am anxious to try is Graze Market and Cafe, a Winchester-based restaurant that has local meats as its main ingredients. The handmade South African recipe-inspired sausage that I sampled was to die for.

To my surprise, it was very well organized event for a big debut event. I love that it was like eating and touring the finest food bites of Lexington, and I got to meet chefs from several restaurants through live audience demonstration and interactions.

I look forward to Crave 2014 and filling my gullet with local delicacies.

I'm Back!

2013-09-10T15:58:00.003-04:00

After seven months of a chronic blogger's block, I'm back!

It has been a crazy summer, this is what I have been doing:

I finished my internship in Huntington, West Virginia, and moved back to Lexington. What a great relief. Best news of all, I passed the registration exam and became a registered dietitian! Years of school and hard work finally paid off.

I went to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and watched the 150th Gettysburg Anniversary Reenactment. It was quite a scene, watching 3000 plus men marching on the field.

Oh, meanwhile I got married and became the MRS. It was the best day of my life.

Photo by Adam Padgett Photography

With all these happenings this summer, time flies. I am already collecting new fall recipes, and here's one for you. This is Jamie Oliver's Store Cupboard Lentil Soup. All ingredients are staples in a cook's pantry and with an hour of prepping, voila, here's your hearty soup for cool autumn days. I found a ham steak in the freezer, which made it into the soup instead of bacon. Not going to lie, last night we had this soup with the AC (with a hunk of bread, as ordered by Jamie Oliver) on but it was delicious.

Hearty Lentil Soup
Adapted from Jamie Oliver Store Cupboard Lentil Soup

6 slices bacon or 1 ham steak
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 cup dried beans, cooked prior)
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
5 cups vegetable stock (or more if you like it soupier)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add bacon. Cook until bacon gets crispy, remove bacon, drain grease until you have 2 tablespoons left in pot. Add dried thyme, dried chili, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. If using ham steak, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add ham and onion, cook for 5 minutes until onion is translucent, add remaining vegetables.

2. Cook vegetables with lid on for 15 minutes, add lentils and stock. Bring to boil and simmer until lentils are soft. (Add cooked cannellini beans here if used dried beans to start with)

3. Add cannellini beans, bring back to boil and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and ground pepper as needed. Serve with hunk of bread.

Guinness (Extra) Stout Cake

2013-03-18T11:04:00.003-04:00

Feeling Irish? This is the cake to make.

Ever year around March, I always buy a six-pack of Guinness and see what creative recipes I can find. This year, the I opted for the Extra Stout Guinness and Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake. There's something about the taste of stout in food that makes meals hearty for a cold day, wondering when winter is going to end. Especially Beef Stew with warm buttered homemade bread.

Two more days, then we embrace the First day of Spring.

Two weeks ago I began the clinical part of my dietetic internship. I started with the pediatrics unit in a hospital in Huntington, WV. Last week, I saw a baby who died because of his parents negligence. It was the saddest case I have encountered as a dietetic intern. I guess that's a part of life, especially living in West Virginia. Twelves more weeks of the internship, counting down to the end...

Guinness (Extra) Stout Cake
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guinness Cake

Cake:
1 cup Extra Stout Guinness
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3oz cocoa powder
14 oz (2 cups) granulated sugar
1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 medium eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
10oz all-purpose flour
2.5 teaspoons baking powder

Frosting:
11oz cream cheese
5oz powdered sugar
4oz (1/2 cup) whipping cream

Preheat the oven to gas mark 350, and butter and line a 9-inch springform pan.
Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter - in spoons or slices - and heat until the butter's melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the brown, buttery, beery pan and finally whisk in the flour and bicarb.
Pour the cake batter into the greased and lined tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Leave to cool completely in the tin on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.
When the cake's cold, sit it on a flat platter or cake stand and get on with the icing. Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, sieve over the powdered sugar and then beat them both together.
Add the cream and beat again until it makes a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake so that it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.
Enjoy cake with left over Guinness.

The Art of Slow

2013-03-11T21:03:00.005-04:00

The art of slow is the length of time for me to update this blog. Seven weeks fo food service management rotation for my dietetic internship came and went like a flash. My big project for the rotation was to come up with Wizard of Oz theme food for more than 2000 people. Another intern and I came up with the following snacks: Follow the Yellow Brick Road Rice Krispie treats, Over the Rainbow Fruit Salad, Munchkin Donuts, Melted Witch Green Punch, Ruby Red Fruit Punch, Rainbow (M&M) Cookies, and Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. See a trend here?

During the two days of the Wizard of Oz event, I was working 12+ hours cutting up rice krispie treats and refilling endless trays of cookies and donuts, in a lullaby league costume. That's right, the ballerina munchkins with pink ruffle skirts and pointy hat.

The art of slow is also me falling in love with my new slow cooker that I got for my birthday last month. There are numerous discussions on whether to use a slow cooker or dutch oven. Here's my take:

Chicken and Shrimp Jambalya

Dutch Oven:
Besides from durability and the feeling of like a real cook, dutch oven allows that searing to brown the (mallard reaction) protein which adds flavors to the meal. One pot does it all. Dutch oven slow cooking can be done on stove top or in oven, but increases the chance of fire hazards if you plan on leaving it to cook for hours . Cooking in dutch oven allows the liquid to reduce and becomes a nice thick sauce for stews. You can cook everything in one pot, reduce the number of dishes you have to wash. Moreover, dutch oven is such a versatile cookware, especially when I make Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread once a week.

Slow Cooker:
This is very much a common household appliance, can't go wrong with this when you got a busy life like me. The only drawback is that some ingredients need to be seared/cooked prior to adding back to the slow cooker. Otherwise, the fancy ones allow cooks to set cooking time, control the cooking temperature, and keep warm. Plug it, forget it.

Although I love cooking in my dutch oven, still hands down to the new slow cooker. Can't beat the convenience when it comes to busy life. I have made many slow cooker recipes since its arrival in my apartment, so far, my favorite recipe is this easy pulled pork. Next slow cooker recipe, corned beef and cabbage.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Recipe from My Baking Addiction

1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (4-6 lb) boneless pork butt or shoulder
¾ cup cider vinegar
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Rinse pork roast under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Place onions in crock-pot. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Rub mixture all over roast and place the roast on top of the onions.

3. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, Worcestershire, red pepper flakes, sugar, mustard, garlic salt and cayenne pepper; whisk to combine. Drizzle about 1/3 of vinegar mixture over roast. Cover and refrigerate remaining vinegar mixture.

4. Cover crockpot; cook on low for 10-12 hours. Drizzle about 1/3 of reserved vinegar mixture over roast during last ½ hour of cooking.

5. Remove meat and onions; drain. Chop or shred meat and onions. Serve with remaining vinegar mixture or your favorite barbeque sauce.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2013-02-13T20:25:00.002-05:00

I remember as a little girl in Taiwan, I would try my hardest to stay awake until midnight on Chinese New Year Eve to welcome the first day of New Year. On New Year's Eve, my grandmother and aunts would make a feast including a whole chicken, a couple steamed fish (with heads and tails still attached), roast pork, and enough side dishes to feed a crowd of 50. People greeted each other with "kong xi fa cai". I would get red packets filled with money from relatives and family friends. My uncle took my cousins and I to nearby park and we would put on what we thought was the greatest firework show on earth.

Since I moved to the United States eight years ago, I miss the sounds of firecrackers, family gatherings, and of course, the feast.

I can never have the culinary skills like my grandma, but I always try to cook up something special for the New Year. To celebrate the Year of Snake, I made dumpling (shui jiao or "water dumpling").

Dumplings are eaten year round, like one would have a burrito as meal once in a while. Having dumplings at mealtime brings prosperity and symbolizes family togetherness. The filling vary among regions, in Taiwan, ground pork is the most common ingredient. There are also vegetarian dumplings filled with cabbage, chives, and don fen (cellophane noodles). Dumplings are often boiled in water, these are called shui jiao or water dumpling. The common pot stickers in the U.S. are guo tei, which are pan fried (or sometimes deep fried, which is unheard of in Taiwan) dumplings. Soy sauce is the most common dipping sauce, and I like to add some chopped green onions and dash of sesame oil.

On Sunday afternoon, I sent over an hour making just 60 dumplings. I was not feeling adventurous to make my own wrapper, and I was surprised to find them in Krogers.

Taiwanese Pork Dumplings
Makes 70 dumplings

Filling:
2 pounds lean ground pork
4 dried Chinese mushrooms
3/2 cup finely diced cabbage
1 tablespoon finely diced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
70 round wonton or dumpling wrappers (can be found in Asian grocery stores, or selected Krogers)
Flour

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion, chopped

1. Place dried mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes, or until soft. Dice mushrooms finely. Reserve water.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and add 1/2 cup of reserved mushroom water
3. Follow this video for instructions on how to make dumplings (skip to 2:30 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QksJI7OqWkk). Use remaining of the reserved mushroom water to seal dumplings. Dust all surface of dumplings with flou, place dumplings evenly spaced on a lightly flour pan. Dumplings freeze well, reserve some for cooking or place the pan in the freezer and remove from pan when dumplings are frozen.
4. Boil enough water to cover however many dumplings you are making. Add dumplings to boiling, bring water to boil again. Once boiling, add a cup of cold water, bring to boil again; repeat process three times. Remove dumplings with a slot spoon.
5. To make sauce, combine all ingredients.

Happy Year of the Snake!

Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb

2013-01-28T21:15:00.003-05:00

I stated the dietetic internship food service management rotation two weeks ago. Hairnets and the smell of oil in deep fryer, it only gets better. Seriously. I didn't think I would like food service at all, but turns out I look forward to going back to the kitchen. First day at the rotation at a local Huntington Hospital, the food service director asked an intern and I to create a 5-week menu for the cafeteria. This sounds like a dream project for foodies/cooks/chefs out there, planning menu for 500+ people everyday for 5 weeks? Heck, yes! At least that was what I thought it would be like.

Here are some of the "criteria" and "must haves" for creating menus targeting a West Virginia population: deep fried liver, something deep-fried everyday, something cheesey or covered with cheese, a healthy entree would be nice but also offer a not-so-healthy one as well, leafy greens are cooked to preferably the color of green olives, and ranch dressing. Oh and friend chicken every Sunday because church goers stop at the hospital cafeteria after church for lunch (who would think a hospital is known for friend chicken after church?)

Hmmm....my wonderful dietetic intern partner and I came up with menu for the first week fairly quickly, then we ran out of ideas. I suggested we have a themed week, like Italian, Latin America, and Asia for rest of the weeks. Thanks to big recipe websites out there, we managed to come up with a 5-week menu within deadline. First week of dietetic-intern-made-up-menu trial went well since we chose "standard" American comfort food. This week's theme is Italian, the executive chef already made several changes to our proposed menu...I will keep you posted on how this week's menu goes.

On to a different subject. This delicious Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb is made in yours truly's tiny apartment kitchen. No deep frying involved.

With the ease of accessing all sorts of recipes on-line with a click, I hardly buy cookbooks now. This book Rustic Fruit Dessert by Cory Scriber and Julie Richardson has great recipes on my favorite type of dessert. I love fruity desserts, and this book described the difference between buckle, cobblers, crumbles, etc...perfectly. The recipes are grouped by season, which is great for all the fresh cranberry I stocked up after Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb
Recipe from Rustic Fruit Dessert by Cory Scriber and Julie Richardson

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for pan
1 cup Vanilla Crumb
1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (5 ounces) sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) cranberries, fresh or frozen

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

2. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer withthe paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. 3. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

4. Fold in 1 cup of the cranberries. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.

Distribute the remaining 1 cup cranberries over the cake and sprinkle the crumb topping over the cranberries. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm on top.

The Things with Eating Out

2013-01-17T20:03:00.001-05:00

Korean, anyone?

I love eating out, especially when I am at a new area and trying out different food/cuisine. Luckily, Lexington has a great variety of restaurants and there are still many I'm itching to try out. Although I am far (very far) from notable and influential food critics like Gael Greene, Anton Ego, and Ruth Reichl, to name a few, I like to think of myself as somewhat of a ~~food critic~~ foodie.

Mmmm...best Mexican food. Ever. At Nopalito

As I learn more about the world of food, ingredients, and the art of cooking, I begin to take more notice of what I am eating when dining out. My palate has changed over the past few years. I pay more attention to how the ingredients fit with each other, the menu items,and most importantly, the taste of each bite. By all means I am a chef or claim to know everything there is about cooking and food. But I do want to share my thoughts on eating out.

Chocolate tasting at TCHO, where sharp palates are trained.

Lovin' some Indian food at Taj India

The thing with eating out is finding where to go. When I first moved to the United States, I loved those big chain restaurants around the mall. Today, you might as well give me a block of salt to lick on. With the exception of all-day road trip and some much-needed quick meal, I do stop at fast food chains for a bite. I also can't pass up an ice cream cone during a day trip. What am I suppose to do when I go on a road trip and all I see are those big name restaurants around gas stations?

Hot dog, jalapeno poppers, fried pickles at a well-known West Virginia restaurant. What was I thinking? Those trips to the bathroom afterwards certainly taught me a lesson.

Eating out is not only to be social but also an exciting experience. Here comes the thing with eating out: eating with a group of friends who are not adventurous. I am sure some of you have friends like that. Those friends do not like to branch out of their food comfort zone. The ones who like to go back to the same bar and the same dining joint. I love my overnight oatmeal every weekday morning, but sometimes I want pancakes for a change. If you know what I mean. When you suggest a new place to try, you get shut down. Then you murmur underneath your breath wondering when you can go to that awesome restaurant you've been reading so much about, but still go to that same place, again.

Being in nutrition some doesn't help eating out either. Should I worry about getting my 5 fruits and vegetables a day or order the lamb shank with that amazing sauce that I know I will never achieve at home?

The things with eating out are complicated.
This is a matter of shaping one's culinary experience and expanding the food horizon.

I love my food adventures, what about you?

KYFB Monthly Cooking Challenge: Lemon Cranberry Scones

2013-01-15T20:33:00.003-05:00

The Kentucky Food Bloggers are starting a monthly cooking challenge, and for January we are starting off with citrus. I have always hated when recipes call for one tablespoon of lemon juice, what am I supposed to do with the rest of the lemon? Keep in the fridge until the next time another recipe calls for lemon juice/peel then discover that months-old lemon is already moldy? I went for the cheap way, those 99 cents yellow and green squeeze bottles sure come in handy. But this means artificial flavored lemon juice = weird and fake taste.

"A splash of lemon juice can enhance the natural flavor of any ingredients, just as a dash of salt does."
- Joy of Cooking

My favorite citrus to use is Meyer lemons, a lemon-tangerine cross, are less tart and pungent and often used in dessert, salads, and fruit salads. I love the pungent citrus scent of the Meyer lemons. Sometimes I wish I live in California, so I can plant lemon trees and have lemons whenever I please. Perhaps I can convince Jake to buy me a dwarf Meyer lemon plan. These scones are perfect with a cup of hot tea, and for those who stocked up fresh cranberries after Thanksgiving (I might have 3 or 4 bags somewhere in the freezer...).

Lemon Cranberry Scones
Recipe from Gourmet

2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons; preferably Meyer)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons additional if using fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries, chopped coarse, or 1 1/4 cups dried cranberries or dried cherries
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. With a vegetable peeler or a zester remove the zest from lemons and chop fine, reserving lemons for another use.

3. In a food processor pulse flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.

4. In a small bowl toss together fresh cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir into flour mixture. If using dried fruit, add to flour mixture.

5. In another small bowl lightly beat egg and yolk and stir in cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

6. On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter) and with a 2-inch round cutter or rim of a glass dipped in flour cut out as many rounds as possible, rerolling scraps as necessary. Arrange rounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden.*The dough was too sticky for my to work with, I used a large cookie scope to measure out dough directly onto baking sheet.

San Francisco

2013-01-11T17:39:00.002-05:00

The internship has generously gave the interns an extra week off (with take-home assignments, of course). Lucky me. So I took the opportunity and visited my sister who lives in San Francisco. It has been more than ten years since I first visited the Golden Gate city with my family. Named one of the top cities for foodies by Travel+ Leisure, I indulged in Asian dishes that I have missed so much and the ever-changing California cuisine.

On my first full day in SFO, my sister took me on a 30-mile bike ride. Biking in the city means constant up and down hill, more like a workout than a tour of the city. After brunch at a French-style bistro Zazie, we biked up Presidio and over the Golden Gate Bridge to small towns on the other side of the bay. While my sister rode past by me in her fancy-pants road bike, I cruised along the bike lane juggling my camera and the bike handles.

We hiked 6 miles through Muir Woods into Mt Tamalpais in pouring rain. The shivering cold and wet day was rewarded with the best Korean food (Muguboka Restaurant) I've had in a long time. Bibimbop and seafood stew with 14 side dishes. It was heaven.

I took a chocolate factory at TCHO near Fisherman's Warf. It was a tour that opened up a new world about gourmet dessert. So long commercial chocolate. Tasting chocolate is just like tasting red wine. Different cocoa beans will yield different flavors. TCHO created a flavor panel consisting of citrus, chocholatey, fruity, floral, earthy, and nutty. Never chew the chocolate, always let it melts on your tongue and enjoy the flavors of real cocoa.

Like other tourists, I watched the sea lions amusing their onlookers and I also bought a sourdough from Boudin Bakery. I wanted a hearty bread bowl of clam chowder. Every restaurant at Fisherman's Warf claimed to have the best and the original sourdough bread bowl with clam chowder. Then it came down to dim sum or clam chowder for lunch. Dim sum won.

I loved the food and the scenic views of San Francisco. It definitely lives up to its standard as the top cities to visit. My short visited ended with authentic Mexican food at nopalito. No heaping amount of chedder cheese on top of every dish. I am talking about homemade corn tortilla, slow braised carnitas, fresh ingredients. That's how I wish I eat and cook everyday. Every meal cooked for those who enjoy good food.

2013

2013-01-02T20:03:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

Between the holiday travels, endless Christmas cookies and meals, opening presents, and seeing old friends and family members, I have been neglecting my little blog.

As From Horses to Photography enters it's second year, I noticed I blog more and more on the food that I devoured and cooked with painstaking effort. After all, I live to eat. Blogging opened up my eyes to the culinary world (and Top Chef!), bringing new ideas and meeting home chefs. I begin to contemplate whether to change the theme of From Horses to Photography. What I learn about blogging is that every blogger should write from their heart, and not something to impress sponsors and/or readers (but still keep the content interesting).

Being a future-dietitian, talking about food is inevitable, and food is my passion. So I decided to include more posts on food and food-related issues. From Horses to Photography is still going to be about my simple life in Lexington and the foods I chow, with photos as challenges of my ever-improving photography skills. Stay tune for more of my adventures.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes

2012-12-21T19:49:00.003-05:00

It's not secret that I love breakfast food. Lately, I have been posting more breakfast recipes (here and here), especially pancakes. Am I overdoing it? I think not, because if pancakes (and oatmeal!) were to provide all the vitamins and minerals, I would have them for every meal. There are millions of pancake recipes out there, each one claims to be the fluffiest. I tried many of those recipes, and I found the Joy of Cooking pancake recipe to be the best one out there.

I began my Christmas break earlier this week. What a relief after 17 weeks of community rotation in Huntington, West Virginia. Although I longed for the break, the dietetic internship is not half way done yet. Food service rotation is next when I return in January, not the scope of dietetics I want to get into but I am curious to see what it will bring.

This recipe was adapted from Minimal Baker's Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Oatmeal Pancakes. My version of these pancakes is not vegan, but they did taste like moist and chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Cookie for breakfast? Yes, unlike certain name brand's breakfast cookies, these pancakes have substance. When made with love and care, topped with real maple syrup, now that's a real breakfast.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes
Makes 10 pancakes

1/2 cup apple sauce
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons almond butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted and at room temperature
1 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats are fine, see special instructions below)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat a skillet to medium heat.
2. Combine apple sauce with baking powder, add eggs, butter, salt, vanilla, almond butter, milk. Stir to combine well.
3. Stir in oats. If using old-fashioned oats, let mixture stand for 10 minutes and add more milk as needed.
4. Stir in flour and chocolate chips until just combined.
5. Scoop scant 1/4 cup measurements onto lightly greased skillet.
6. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side. May take longer than regular pancakes.
7. Serve warm with real maple syrup.

Guinness Beef Stew

2012-12-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

First of all, my heart and thoughts go out to those who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
When it happened, I was teaching a group of kindergardener.
Throughout the semester, I have spent a lot of time teaching children in school.
It breaks my heart.
While I was sick lying on the couch on Friday and watching the news, I cried and cried.

The other day I made Guinness beef stew. Comfort, hearty, and hot stew with a slice of homemade bread, cues the sickness. A great soup always starts with the holy trinity also known as mirepoix as the base flavor along with the browned meat bits on the bottom of soup pot.

The secrets to beautiful browned meat? Room temperature meat and hot pan. Otherwise you will end up with puddle of meat liquid and zero browning, I learned the lesson the hard way. Browning also gives this flavor essence, the brown bits, that will later build a nice meaty flavor for the stew.

Stews are perfect for a rainy and winter day like today. I started off the weekend with the flu, I drove two hours with a fever. It was not fun. I did not have the appetite for anything. Jake heated up a small bowl of this stew and made me eat it, surprisingly I finished it and asked for more. Let's call it, Guinness Beef Stew for the ~~soul~~ sick. Move over chicken noodle soup.

Ta Da!
~~(My apology! I will post a more "formal" picture of the finish product update tomorrow)~~

*Note: I added some leftover sauteed swiss chard into the stew pictured above. That's why there's rhubarb-looking vegetable in my bowl.

Guinness Beef Stew

1.5 pound chuck or round beef, 1/2-inch cubes and room temperature
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 medium potato, diced
1 28-oz canned diced tomato, drained
1 bottle Guinness
6 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil Dutch Oven over medium high, brown meat on all sides. Don't crowd the pot, work in batches if needed. Set beef aside when done.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same Dutch Oven, cook onion, carrots, and potato until translucent. About 10 minutes. Add Guinness, broth, and tomato. Return beef to pot. Add bay leaf.
3. Simmer stew for 1 hour or until beef is very tender. Season as needed
4. Slurp the stew on a cold winter day.

Getting Ready for the Holiday

2012-12-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday Jake and I went to see the second annual Christmas tree lighting on Ashland lawn. It was beautiful. The event has now become our annual holiday tradition. Even with the rain, the Christmas caroling, jolly spirits of the gathering crowd, being with my love ones, brought little tears to my eyes.

I have been busy wrapping up the first semester of the dietetic internship. I just finished a two-weeks rotation at a surgical weight loss medical facility, and now I am teaching middle school students and kindergarteners. A break is much needed after months of hard work. Between working and finishing up papers, I managed to wrapped presents and begin a holiday tradition: making cookies.

In the previous years, I have not made much Christmas cookies because I always ended up being the only one decorating, baking, and cleaning up. (Holler if you know what I mean). I finally had the cookie party that I have always wanted. Even better if I can host a cookie swap party someday.

Although the cold weather and Christmas are coming up way too fast, I enjoy making new recipes of hearty hot soups. (Guinness Beef Stew for next post)

Oh and I stocked up on bags of fresh cranberries, got to love post-Thanksgiving food sale.

Off to the next case study...till then. Stay warm.

Whole Wheat Lemon Soy Pancakes

2012-12-04T17:08:00.001-05:00

This is the sight that always makes me happy on a Sunday morning:

Sky high stack of pancakes and warm real maple syrup.

I have been on a breakfast recipe kick lately, mostly because it's the best meal of the day. Call me boring, but 5 days of the week I have oatmeal for every breakfast. I love it, and I look forward it when I go to bed. Especially tomorrow's oatmeal has pumpkin puree, flaxseed, and crasins!

Sunday mornings are "special breakfast Sundays", which means I make something delicious to get the week started. Pancakes are the usually favorite around the house. A couple months ago, 8th continent Soymilk has kindly send me some soymilk to use in my recipes.

Growing up, we always made our own soy milk using raw soybeans. We boil and simmer the soybeans with water in a large stock pot, strain the liquid through a cheese cloth, then mix it well in a blender. The homemade soy milk was thinner because we didn't fortify it with other vitamins/minerals like the ones sold in United States. (Remember to shake up the soy milk before pouring because the added vitamins and minerals, mainly calcium, tend to stay on the bottom!) Nowadays there's vanilla, chocolate, lowfat, and more kinds of flavor than I knew. This 8th Continent Soymilk tastes delicious and reminds me of what I used to have at home, like real soy milk.

This dairy-free recipe is adapted from my favorite pancake recipe from Joy of Cooking. With a splash of lemon juice and some lemon zest added to the batter, the soy milk flavor stands out. In Jake's words "These are the best pancakes I've ever had. This recipe is a keeper!"

Whole Wheat Lemon Soy Pancakes

Makes about 10 pancakes

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 3/4 tablespoons baking powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 cup 8th Continent Soymilk, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, soy milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix with a few strokes, until just combined with some lumps. Don't over mix.

2. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter at a time on a heated skillet. Wait until bubbles in batter, about 2 minutes, flip over for another 1 minute.

3. Serve warm with real maple syrup.

Turkey and Sage Biscuits Casserole

2012-11-29T21:14:00.001-05:00

Anyone tired of Thanksgiving leftover yet?

Today marks the 4th consecutive day of me eating a Thanksgiving meal for dinner.
I think I could eat a whole Thanksgiving meal again tomorrow, because that's how much I love Thanksgiving. I practically ate the whole pot of cranberry sauce right after I made it.

I guess the only thing I hate about the big meal is dealing with the carcass. I absolutely hate shredding/pulling meat, like shredding chicken for tacos and getting all the meat off the turkey. I hate doing that. Thank goodness Jake was kind enough to do this one abhorring and mundane task. The carcass sat in my fridge until Sunday when I finally took the time to make at least 5 quarts of stock out of it.

Numerous food bloggers and recipe websites have posted on what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers, me included came up with a recipe.

This biscuits over turkey leftover is an idea from Jake's family. I bought a package of fresh sage for the turkey, and used the remaining for these savory biscuits. The flaky texture of the biscuits contrast well with the soft texture of the leftover turkey mix.

Turkey and Sage Biscuits Casserole
See this post for biscuits recipe. Add a tablespoon (or more for taste) of finely chopped fresh sage to when mixing dry and wet ingredients.
(or use pre-made biscuit dough)

1/2 cup gravy
3/4 cup turkey stock
1-2 cups shredded turkey
1 cup stuffing
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onions

1. In a sauce pan, combine gravy and turkey stock. Bring to boil and simmer until liquid thickens. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat oil and add in celery, carrots, and onions. Cook for 10 minutes or until slightly softened. Add turkey and stuffing. Cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Add sauce to the turkey mixture in the large pan, mix until well combined. Transfer into a 13 x 9 baking pan.
4. Arrange biscuits evenly over the turkey mixture, about 15 biscuits. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until the bottom of biscuits are not doughy.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancake

2012-11-26T20:20:00.001-05:00

I have a new addiction this fall season.

It's pumpkin.

I can't seem to get enough of it.

Since fall season started, I have made numerous pumpkin pudding, pumpkin pies, pumpkin oatmeal, and now pumpkin pancake. Something about this vibrant orange color vegetable and its subtle sweetness that capture my taste buds this year. I wish I have the time and effort to make homemade pumpkin puree all the time. Canned pumpkin always tastes....tasteless. The canned pumpkin mix tastes even worse, trust me, I accidentally bought a can once.

This recipe calls for 1 cup of pumpkin puree, which works well since I had half of a large can of pumpkin puree in the refrigerator.

I love the cinnamon, ginger, and other spices that goes in this pancake batter. The pancakes taste like pumpkin pie, and they are even better with warm (real!) maple syrup and a mug of hot black coffee. Hmmm...this is why I love breakfast food. Brinner, anyone?

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancake
Makes 8-10 pancakes
(Recipe adapted from New South Food Company)

1.5 cups Whole wheat flour
1.5 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
4 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice (Or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Milk
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Egg
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1. In a bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake and spread out with a spoon. Wait till large bubbles start to appear in the middle and flip. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
3. Serve warm with real maple syrup.