Peanut butter-less peanut butter
    

It’s a substitution for peanut butter designed to be consumed by people who have allergies to peanuts.  That’s why they’ve labeled it as a school-safe product because children with peanut allergies are on the rise.  This is not like any of the other peanut butter substitutes that are available out there, such as SunButter, Almond Butter, or Pea Butter.  The reason why I say this is because this peanut butter substitute has the closest flavor to real peanut butter than any other peanut butter substitute on the market that I’ve tried.  That’s probably why they called it WOWbutter.  (I don’t have a peanut allergy, so I am able to try WOWbutter side-by-side with real peanut butter for comparison).

And just like real peanut butter, WOWbutter comes in both creamy smooth and crunchy versions.

Both are 100% peanut free and gluten free, made with toasted soy and soy oil, sweetened with cane sugar, and processed in Canada.

The taste is so similar to real peanut butter that I can almost be fooled on a blind taste test if it was used in baked goods.  The smell of it is also the closest to real peanut butter than any of the peanut butter replacements I’ve tried before.

My husband is allergic to peanuts, and while growing up there were many common foods that he always wanted to try.  First things first, I made him his first peanut butter on bread.  Then he was able to enjoy the simplest peanut butter recipes like peanut butter on toast, PB&J sandwiches, peanut butter banana on toast, and ants on a log.  The natural progression was to try WOWbutter next on baked goods and savory dishes.

It was then that I noticed that there are some differences between WOWbutter and real peanut butter.  Sometimes WOWbutter doesn’t produce the same desired textures or react differently with other ingredients.  I’ve had several failures at baking with WOWbutter, but most of these were as the result of trying to bake it in conjunction with fresh bananas.  If you compare crunchy WOWbutter with crunchy peanut butter, you will see that while both are spreadable, WOWbutter is more liquid and soft at room temperature.

The instructions on the jar say that refrigeration is not required, but I like to store my WOWbutter in the fridge.  You might want to use caution and start small when experimenting with cooking with WOWbutter for the first time.  But through my process of trial and error, I successfully re-produced the following recipes for my husband, where the peanut butter can be replaced with WOWbutter:

Dan dan noodles 担担面

Peanut butter and bacon chocolate chip cookies

Peanut butter sandwich cookies

Peanut butter candy bars

To watch his face grow in excitement as he tries these recipes for the first time in his life, and then to see his reaction to something so novel to him…… it doesn’t get better than that!  Have you seen this product in your local grocery store yet but were hesitant to try it?  If your local grocery store does not have it, you can order WOWbutter here and have it shipped directly to your house. What exciting things have you made with it?

Today, I will remember my mother who has given me fond memories and strong foundations during the first 9 years of my life before her untimely death.  Every year, I feel so unfortunate not to be able to celebrate her in person, or to give her fond memories during her senior years.  But I spend some time every year on Mother’s Day to remember her.

My husband and I are still young marrieds, and we don’t have children (nor are we expecting!).  But we did sponsor a little girl from Uganda, Africa.  My foster parents started an orphanage there, Eagles Wings Children’s Village, for the protection and provision of basic necessities to lone, orphaned children.  We received our first letter from our child Shelly, who wholeheartedly called herself our daughter.  Those words brought tears to my eyes, and I thought to myself, “Well, I guess I’m a mother!”

As you can probably imagine, marriage has brought me many blessings for which I am forever grateful and at times I feel I don’t deserve.  I have an amazing relationship with my mother-in-law, and every year even while my hubby and I were just dating, I always prepared the Mother’s Day feast at my place.  This Mother’s Day, I wish to prepare a progressive Mother’s Day menu for my beloved mum-in-law.  It’s going to be Western style, with Asian accents throughout.  Here’s my progressive Mother’s Day menu.  You can click on the titles or the picture to see each of my recipes.

• Appetizer course #1:  Cucumber peel appetizer
  
• Appetizer course #2:  Shrimp with garlic-parsley butter
  
• Main course:  Succulent roast duck (current post)
• Rice course:  Thai style pineapple fried rice
  
• Dessert course #1:  Fresh raspberry soufflé
  
• Cookie course:  Rosewater macaroons with coconut butter cream
  

You might be surprised to see that I have categorized this roast duck as an easy recipe.  Despite the amount of work its name implies, this really is an easy meal to do.  It’s just a matter of stuffing it generously, seasoning sufficiently, and knowing when to take it out of the oven.  I’ve made this roast duck twice now, and it works like a charm every time:  my guests helped me clean out all the meat and they licked the bones too!  The skin is the most irresistible part, and the meat is richly flavorful.  It’s sure to impress.  I wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Grocery list

1 young duck (the one in the picture is 2.8 kg / 6.2 lbs)
1 lemon, halved
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh parsley
1 stalk celery

Preheat oven to 350^oF with an oven rack in the middle.

Remove the neck and gizzard from the cavity.  Cut off any excess fat from the opening of the cavity, keeping the skin intact.  Rinse the duck, inside and out, thoroughly under running cool water.  Drain any liquid from the cavity and dry the skin briefly with paper towels.

Season the duck inside and out with salt and pepper.  Rub one half of the lemon all over the cavity.

Place all the herbs inside the cavity.

Place the duck on an oven rack in a deep roasting pan.  (Roast duck will produce a lot of oil while roasting.)

Roast in the preheated oven until brown all over and juices run clear.  This will take approximately 45 minutes per kg weight.  The skin will be nicely reddish-golden and very crispy.

Allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving.  You can cut into pieces with the bone in, or tear off the meat and serve shredded.

This month came fast after a busy April, and I didn’t want to miss my opportunity to create at least a couple recipes for Cinco de Mayo.  Last week I made Mexican churros.  This time, I wanted to do something that challenged me a little rather than defaulting to tacos or burritos.  That was when I remembered hearing about Mexican beef stew, where the secret weapon is chocolate.  It’s truly a brilliant culinary idea, and also one of the few dishes where you can see beef and chocolate listed together on the ingredients.  How irresistible is that?

Some like it hot, some like it not.  At the risk of disappointing over half of my readers, I must admit that I don’t like spicy foods because I don’t enjoy the heat.  But I still appreciate chili peppers as a fine ingredient, and I have cooked with them before to entertain some insatiable appetites for spicy foods.

Now I will offer an accommodation of different preferences here:  If you like it spicy, you can add my suggested combination of chilies to make it resemble the great Mexican celebration dish “Mole”, which is known for its combination of chilies and chocolate.

I was proud of myself for creating a dish that was so different in flavor from my mainstream recipes.  I truly do enjoy catering to a wider audience.  I have to say that I didn’t know I liked Mexican beef stew until now!  Colorful and richly flavored, this stew is somewhat time consuming, but well worth the effort.

Grocery list

3 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped into strips

2 large hot house tomatoes

1 large onion, trimmed, peeled, and quartered
75 g Callebaut dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves
3 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs lean braising steak, diced

1 1/2 cups beef bouillon stock
6 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish

 Optional ingredients to make it spicy

3 mulato chilies
3 mild ancho chilies
5 New Mexican chilies
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp coriander

Preheat the oven to 475^oF with a rack in the middle.

Arrange the red bell peppers on a heavy baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the skins have blackened and are beginning to blister.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Cut a cross in the skin on the bottom of the tomatoes.  Put them in a saucier, cover them with boiling water and let stand for 1 minute.

Remove the tomatoes from the water, then peel them.  Remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon.

Dice the tomatoes, and put them into a food processor.  When the red peppers are cool enough to handle, chop them and add them to the food processor with the tomatoes.  Add the onion, dark chocolate, garlic, and vinegar.  Process the ingredients to form a paste.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or a flameproof casserole.  Add the diced steak, working in batches if necessary, and cook over medium heat until browned on all sides.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the tomato-chocolate mixture and the beef bouillon.  Stir in the cloves and the cinnamon sticks.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.  Enjoy the wonderful aroma of the stew as it fills your kitchen.

Add the carrots and potatoes, stir well and simmer for another 30 minutes.  Remove and discard the cinnamon.  Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Garnish with the fresh cilantro and serve immediately with cooked green vegetables or over a bed of rice.

This means that I go grocery shopping only once or twice a week with a goal in mind from my weekly meal planning.  As soon as I get home, I will wash, cut and put away the vegetables so they are ready to go.  This can be tricky though, because some vegetables wilt or turn yellow so quickly in the fridge before you’re ready to use them, and washed vegetables have an even shorter half life.

I heard about these green bags a while ago, which were advertised to keep your produce fresh for longer.  I finally mustered the courage to buy my first box of Debbie Meyer Green Bags to keep those gorgeous fresh vegetables I gravitate towards at the market.

I started out small, using them on some celery stalks, green leaf lettuce, fresh parsley, and green onions.

I am now a changed woman.  They really do keep my vegetables crispy fresh for longer periods of time (2-3 weeks longer) in the vegetable drawer of my fridge.  Since then, I’ve tried the Green Bags on carrots, green beans, cilantro, turnips, leeks, romaine lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, Asian bok choy, and Chinese gai lan.  Time and time again, I noticed that I can use the vegetables at my own pace without worrying about them wilting or turning mushy in the fridge.  The Green Bags work just as well storing the vegetables fresh from the store, or washed and cut; as long as you make sure that they are completely dry before placing them in the Green Bags.

They come in two sizes in the box (17×12 inch, and 15×9 inch), and I reuse them a few times before disposing them.

I’ve not tried the Debbie Meyer Green Bags on fruits, since I don’t seem to have problems eating fruits before they get mushy.

No more restrictions on buying vegetables only one at a time, because variety is the spice of life!  This also means less trips to the store solely for the purpose of buying vegetables so I can enjoy them while they’re still fresh!  Now I am a happy camper.

So if you are at a Cinco de Mayo festival in Mexico or a Fiesta de San Fermín in Spain, you will always be surrounded by the hypnotic sweet and savory smell that comes from the churros.  They are served doused in cinnamon sugar or dipped in a cup of hot coffee or thick syrupy hot chocolate and eaten warm and fresh.  To make them at home, I used a simple pastry bag with a large star tip, but if you want to make them on a larger scale, you might want to invest in a churro maker or churrera!

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration coming up this weekend on May 5^th.  It is a day of Mexican heritage, commemorating the cause of freedom during the American Civil War.  Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, and should not be mistaken for Mexico’s Independence Day.

Churros have gained worldwide recognition as a delightful deep-fried snack, and is served at carnivals, street vendors, and even all over Disneyland theme parks!  These porra churros were just as fun to make as they were to eat!  Delicious deep-fried delicacy.

Grocery list

7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 1/4 cups whole milk
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Pour the condensed milk in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until it turns a caramel color (about 10 minutes).

Slowly add the coconut milk and whisk until smooth (about 5 minutes).  Set aside and keep warm for use as the dipping sauce.

In another saucepan, combine the milk, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, just until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, stirring with a spatula until the mixture gathers into a glossy ball (about 1 minute).  Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and let cool for 5 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time at medium-low speed until combined well.  Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip.

Fill a large, heavy saucepan with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil, and warm the oil over medium heat.

Meanwhile, line a large plate with paper towels for draining the fried churros.  Get the topping ready by mixing together the brown sugar, ground cinnamon and granulated sugar, and spread it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Test the oil by squeezing in a drop of batter.  If it browns quickly, then the oil is ready.  If you have a thermometer, check to see that it registers 350^oF.

Working in batches of 4, squeeze your desired lengths of the dough into the hot oil.

Since I didn’t have the right tip, I tried squeezing both 6-inch and a much shorter (2-inch) length of dough and it turned out well.  Use a knife or kitchen scissors to cut off the segments.  When the churros become dark golden brown on one side, turn it over to fry the other side (about 1-2 minutes per side).  Remove the churros from the oil when they are done, and set them on the paper towels to blot away excess oil only briefly.  Roll the churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and serve hot with the condensed milk dipping sauce on the side.

Enjoy these deep fried treats!

I decided to post a blog on macaroni and cheese and enjoy it over dinner without feeling guilty.  The simple pleasure of enjoying the meal just for the sake of enjoyment is a task I find myself pushing aside more and more often.  This is because I’m such a fitness fanatic, and I have the self-control to be on a super healthy, super lean diet for days on end while I am on a rigorous fitness program.  So, to put the fork down and really taste each bite fully without worrying about making up for it later is another practice in self-control!

Of course, I couldn’t let go completely, so I decided to include kale in my macaroni and cheese recipe.  This is quite a gourmet take on the classic homemade macaroni and cheese.  With this method, you can choose to make a very basic and classic macaroni and cheese with just the pasta, cheese sauce, and the breadcrumbs.  You can try different cheeses or dress it up by adding other ingredients.  For this particular recipe, I suggest the crab, kale, and mascarpone flavor combination.  But other ingredients will work just as well:  lobster, ham, caramelized shallots, spinach, pancetta, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts…. the options are limitless!   These add-ins give the dish new flavors and textures.  I also suggest using Monterey Jack and Gruyère as the base cheeses to add body and flavor to the sauce.  Mascarpone is added to accentuate the flavor.  You can try different cheeses for the base, but I would suggest you avoid blue cheese because it might be too overwhelming, and mozzarella might be too stringy.

Coarse breadcrumbs are the foundation for this recipe’s irresistible crunchy topping.  I haven’t had macaroni and cheese for a long time, and I am a changed woman after producing this seafood mac and cheese that made my taste buds sing with joy.  With all of that said, let your taste buds enjoy!  I’m here for food and it would be rude for me to deny you that much.

Grocery list

1 clove garlic
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups coarse breadcrumbs, lightly toasted (Store bought panko is an acceptable substitute, but don’t use fine breadcrumbs because it will turn out to be a flat, sandy topping!)

Cheese sauce

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup whole milk
Sea salt to taste
1 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, finely grated
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dry mustard

Pasta

1/2 lb pasta of your choice
1/2 cup fresh kale

100 g lean prosciutto, thick slices

200 g cooked crab meat, diced

Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic clove into a paste, and then transfer it into a small mixing bowl.  Stir in the melted butter and drizzle the butter over the toasted breadcrumbs.

Add a pinch of salt and toss well to combine.  Set aside.

Melt the 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk over low heat for 3 minutes until the mixture gently bubbles and froths without coloring.

Slowly add the milk in a steady stream while whisking constantly.  Be sure to whisk around the edges of the pan to get all the lumps.  Whisk until the sauce is smooth and has the consistency of heavy cream (about 5 minutes).

Raise the temperature to medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer, whisking constantly.  Lower the heat until you get a gentle simmer and cook, whisking constantly, for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and gently whisk in the Monterey Jack, Gruyère, Mascarpone, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and mustard.  Season to taste with salt.  Keep warm on low heat, or by storing near the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350oF with a rack in the middle.  Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add your pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until al dente.  I usually boil the pasta for 8 minutes, turn off the heat, and leave the pasta in the water for one more minute.  Drain well and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat for 30 seconds.  Add the prosciutto and cook the mixture for 1 minute or until fragrant.  Add the kale and crab, and cook for another minute until the kale is slightly wilted.  Set aside.

Add the cheese sauce mixture and the kale, prosciutto, and crab meat to the pasta and gently stir to combine.  Be sure everything is evenly distributed.

Transfer the pasta mixture into individual sized baking dishes or a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Evenly scatter the breadcrumbs on top.

Bake until the top is golden, about 15 minutes, and serve immediately.

I usually try to have a healthy breakfast with grains, milk, and fruit.  But since April is my birth-month, I decided I deserved to allow myself to have a fun, sweet breakfast for a change.  I had a loaf of brioche in the freezer from my favorite local bakery, and I decided to incorporate one my favorite ingredients:  chocolate.  My husband generally doesn’t relish the thought of having something overly sweet, especially in the mornings, but he wasn’t opposed to my idea this time!

There few words I can use to do this chocolate brioche French toast the justice they deserve, but here are a few for starters; sweet with savory, warm, crispy, creamy.  Each section was lovingly enjoyed, with the melted chocolate slowly oozing down the perfectly toasted brioche.  They looked good, tasted great, and were really not much harder than making a regular French toast.  I strongly urge you to try them.  They might even convert you a chocolate toast aficionado.  I look forward to more mornings like this.

Grocery list

4 slices brioche bread, thick cut, fresh or slightly stale
2 oz dark chocolate baking wafers or from a thin bar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Salt to taste
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Cut each slice of brioche into 4 triangles by slicing diagonally.

If you are using a thin dark chocolate bar, break it into 8 pieces, roughly the same triangle size and shape as the bread pieces.  In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until well combined.  Add the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt to taste and whisk until combined.

Put the bread pieces in the bowl and press down gently to make sure they are all soaked well.

In a medium non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the butter over medium heat until melted and sizzling.  Add half of the bread pieces in one layer, leaving little space between each.

Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until nicely browned.  Turn each piece over with a spatula and repeat on the other side.  While the second side is cooking, place some chocolate wafers in one layer covering the surface on half the bread pieces, and top each with another piece of bread (save the best-looking pieces for the tops).

Carefully transfer the bread pieces to a plate lined with paper towels.

Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter and cook the remaining bread, and fill it with the remaining chocolate.  When all the sandwiches are made, arrange on individual plates, generously sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve.

This year, spring seemed to have arrived a little earlier than what I remembered.  The cherry blossoms were already in full bloom, and the fruits and berries were more plump and juicy.  I saw a nice selection of different types of pears at the local farmer’s market and it brightened my day.  In my excitement, I bought a few different types of pears with thoughts of making a pie.  It wasn’t until I got home that I realized I really wanted to have a cake for my birthday.  I couldn’t imagine placing candles on a pie; the feeling just wasn’t the same.

It’s a good thing that pears make such wonderful dessert ingredients.  You can have poached pear or pear cakes.  I was excited about the thought of making a tall pear cake for my first dinner party of the month.  I started and finished the cake on the same day of my birthday dinner rather than making the cake a day ahead.  This helps to ensure that the cake stays moist and the cream is as fresh as possible.  I used Nutriwhip instead of whipping cream to cut down on the dairy products since some of guests had dairy sensitivities.  This pear ginger cake turned out to be super moist with an irresistible crust, and every bite of pear in the cake was a burst of flavor and sweetness.  The Nutriwhip made it lighter, so it was easy to have a whole slice even after a nice meal!  And it was a tall cake indeed.  It can feed 12 people with generous slices!  I would definitely make this cake again for any occasion.

Grocery list

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 lb firm-ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup finely chopped candied ginger

1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the caramel glaze

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup cold water
3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup thick cream
1 tbsp whiskey
Pinch Kosher salt

For the whipped cream

4 cups Nutriwhip
2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Preheat the oven to 350^oF with one rack in the top third of the oven, and another rack in the bottom third.  Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a parchment round.  Butter the parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and cream on medium high speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.

Reduce the stand mixer speed to low.    Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk.  Be sure to start and end with the flour mixture.  Beat on low speed between each addition until just incorporated.  The batter will be thick and fluffy.

Stir in the pears, candied ginger, and vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and level the batter with a spatula.

Set two pans on the top oven rack and the third pan on the bottom rack, being sure to stagger the pans so that no pan is directly over top of another.  Bake for 20 minutes, then swap and rotate the positions of the pans.  Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto cooling racks, remove the parchment, and let cool completely.

Make the caramel glaze:  Keep a pastry brush soaked in water by the stove as you work.  In a 3-quart saucier, stir together the sugar, lemon juice, and cold water.  Brush down the sides of the pan to wash away any sugar crystals.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan, until the mixture starts to color around the edges, 5-8 minutes.

Gently swirl the pan once to even out the color and make sure the sugar caramelizes evenly.  Brush down the sides of the pan if the sugar seems about to burn.  Cook for another 30 seconds or until the sugar turns medium amber.  Keep an eye on it because the mixture will darken quickly!

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter.  Keep stirring until the bubbles settle down.  Add the cream one tablespoon at a time, stirring to combine after each addition.  Continue stirring until the caramel is smooth.

Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey and salt.  Strain the caramel through a fine sieve and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Make the whipped cream:  Cool the bowl of a stand mixer in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.  Whip the Nutriwhip on medium speed until it starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the sugar, raise the speed to medium high, and continue to whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes more.  Raise the speed to high and continue to ship until stiff peaks form.

Assemble the cake:  Line a 10-inch cake round or cake plate with strips of waxed paper to keep it clean while icing.

Put a cake layer on the strips of wax paper and top the cake layer with 2 cups of the whipped Nutriwhip, spreading evenly with a metal spatula almost to the cake’s edge.

Put the next cake layer, upside down (or flat side up), on top and spread with 2 more cups of the Nutriwhip.

Top with the last cake layer, also placing it upside down (or flat side up).  Thickly coat the sides and top of the cake with the remaining Nutriwhip.  Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.

Glaze the cake:  Slowly drizzle the caramel glaze over the top of the cake with a spoon, making sure that it covers the top of the cake and drizzles down the sides.  You don’t have to use all the caramel glaze if you are satisfied with the appearance.

Carefully remove the wax paper strips by sliding it out from under the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving.

I’m glad to share with you a solution to all these ordeals pertaining to buttermilk.  I learned how to make homemade buttermilk using the milk currently in my fridge. The formula is simple:

Place 2 1/2 tsp lemon juice in a glass measuring cup and add enough milk up to 1 cup.  Stir and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using.  And voilà.  No more wasting unused buttermilk since you can make only the quantity you need!  Any level of fat content for the milk can be used (whole milk, 1%, 2%, or skim milk), but usually whole milk is used for baking.

I tried this homemade buttermilk and it works well for buttermilk pancakes, and chocolate cakes.  I don’t buy buttermilk anymore for my baking; it’s easier and less wasteful to just make my own buttermilk.  I found that it works just as well and only takes 5 minutes!

How does it work?  Buttermilk is just sour milk, which was made sour by increasing its acidity.  Commercially, the acidity is from adding bacteria that produce lactic acid for fermenting the lactose sugar in milk.  This type of buttermilk is more specifically known as cultured buttermilk.  In this formula, we are increasing the acidity by adding citric acid from the lemon juice to produce the type of buttermilk known as acidified buttermilk.  In both buttermilk types, when the level of acidity is increased in the milk, the milk protein casein will eventually precipitate.  This precipitation is what causes the curdling and thus thickening of milk.

The spring harvest is finally here after several months of a cold winter.  This means that fresh fruits are available all around and at lower prices compared to off-season.  If you’re unsure of when certain fruits are officially in season, it’s easy to tell by their appearance.  I found these blueberries at the farmer’s market.  They were amazingly sweet, juicy, and they were huge!  It’s always a great idea to incorporate fresh fruits into your breakfast meals.

My husband requested pancakes for the next morning after we saw a sale on Canadian maple syrup.  You might think that making pancakes is too much of a hassle to do before rushing off to work, but I’ll let you in on a little secret.  I simply combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl the night before.  Then I wash the blueberries, lay out all the equipment I need to use, and pick out the dishes.  The next morning, all I have to do is whisk the wet ingredients and cook them!  It takes 10 minutes from the time I enter the kitchen in the morning to when we start eating.  And these pancakes turn out fluffy and moist every time, with the added burst of sweetness from the berries.  It’s as easy as cake.  Or pancake!

Grocery list

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
Vegetable oil for the griddle
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
Pure maple syrup for serving

Heat the oven to 200^oF.  Melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside to cool briefly.  In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs until the eggs are lightly beaten.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Whisk gently just until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated.  To minimize gluten formation, stop whisking before the batter is evenly moistened; there should still be lumps.

Add the cooled melted butter and mix just until the batter is evenly moistened.  Let the batter rest while you heat the griddle.

Heat a griddle or a non-stick skillet over medium heat until water droplets briefly dance when sprinkled on the surface before evaporating.  Lightly oil the griddle with the vegetable oil.  Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle for each pancake, spacing them about 1 inch apart.  Let cook undisturbed until bubbles rise to the surface and the edges look dry (about 1 to 2 minutes).  While it is cooking, drop a small handful of fresh blueberries onto the pancakes, spacing them apart as desired.

Check the underside of each pancake to make sure it is nicely browned.  Flip the pancakes in one smooth motion.  Cook until the second side is nicely browned (about 1 minute more).

Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the preheated oven while you repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve with hot butter and maple syrup.