ho hum hooray

linguine with white clam sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 03:41:00 +0000

...or if we're being precise, that's thin wheat spaghetti in the picture. thin wheat spaghetti with white clam sauce doesn't quite have the same ring nor did it have the same taste or texture or joyousness.

it was all i could find in the pantry though.

i must try to be better prepared in the future.

i've gotten quite good at guessing which foods the geek will and will not like and i was quite certain this dish would fall on the dislike list. even the geek agreed with this prediction.

we were both surprised and amazed when he ended up eating an entire serving. i was shocked when he said he really liked it.

i'm still not sure how he came to eat a bowl of this in the first place. he must have been feeling adventurous - or really, really hungry. either way, it's now one of our go-to dinners.

adapted from rachel ray's recipe on foodnetwork.com
serves 4

special equipment
if using fresh clams, you will need a large pan with a tightly fitted lid.

ingredients
1 pound uncooked linguini
1 tin anchovies in olive oil (undrained)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup dry white wine (i use a sauvignon blanc)
zest of 1 lemon
2 pounds of cleaned fresh clams (or 1 10-ounce can fancy baby clams with liquid)
flat leaf parsley (optional)
crusty bread (optional but highly recommended)

directions

following the package instructions, bring a pot of water to boil.
heat a large pan over medium heat. add the undrained can of anchovies, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until the anchovy filets begin to breakdown. in the meantime, add pasta to the boiling water.
add the tarragon and white wine and cook for 1 minute to reduce the wine.
add in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer before adding the clams and the lemon zest.
if using fresh clams, cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until clams have opened. (discard any clams that do not open). if using canned clams, add clams with liquid and gently stir to heat through.
by now the pasta should be al dente, transfer it into the pan and toss with the sauce. allow the noodles to absorb some sauce before serving.
garnish with parsley, if you'd like.

notes:

no fresh tarragon? use 1.5 teaspoons dried tarragon or thyme instead.

if using fresh clams, check them prior to cooking - they should be tightly closed or close when you gently tap them. discard any that don't close.

for easier eating, i remove most of the clams from their shells before serving.

appreciating art

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 04:22:00 +0000

unexpectedly.

::haymarket, lincoln, nebraska::

how can you tell your dog has been up to no good? #3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 03:17:00 +0000

you come home to find a dog that has either become a vampire or inadvertently left a tiny bit of kleenex evidence on her face.

second time's the charm oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 01:52:00 +0000

the first time i tried this oatmeal it was meh. in all fairness, i did not do the recipe justice.

for one thing, i didn't realize we were out of real maple syrup. we only had sugar-free maple-ish syrup that the geek accidentally bought a while back.

it also didn't help that the only berries we had on hand were fresh strawberries. when baked, they kind of just dissolved into flavorless mush. (sorry strawberries, i really didn't set you up for success here).

the meh-ness was my bad. i should have planned better, so with a big bag of rolled oats still in the pantry, i vowed to give the recipe another shot.

the second time i made this oatmeal, i planned ahead. real maple syrup? check! berries that bake well? check!

and you know what? it was delicious!

the bigger surprise? the geek loved it.

he loved it so much that it is now on the short list of foods that he actually requests.

he loved it so much that he's looking forward to eating it tomorrow...even though the forecast says it will be in the 80s and we're sitting here with all the windows open and the fans blowing. (north carolina, i miss you and the air conditioning we had in our home there).

once the weather begins to cool, i bet he'll fall even deeper in love with this oatmeal.

adapted from an version posted on orangette (original recipe from super natural everyday).

serves 6.

special equipment: 6-cup baking dish (8x8 or 9x9 square)

ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 ½ cups blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

2 cups whole milk or half and half

⅓ cup maple syrup

1 large egg

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

directions:

place the rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
melt and slightly cool 1 tablespoon of butter.
in a 6-cup baking dish, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. evenly scatter the berries over the oat mixture.
in separate bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, egg, slightly cooled butter, and vanilla. drizzle the milk mixture slowly over the oats. make sure the milk mixture has evenly distributed through the oats by gently tapping the baking dish on the countertop.
bake for 35 to 45 minutes. the oatmeal is ready when the top is a golden brown and the mixture has plumped and set. after removing the dish from the oven, allow it to cool slightly.
enjoy! for a little something extra, add a pat of butter, a sprinkle of brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup.

my favorite sweet and savory snack (hearty bread + fig jam + beecher's cheese)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:15:00 +0000

this is more of a recommendation than an actual recipe.

get a slice of hearty bread and toast it.

generously spread some fig jam on your toasty bread.

now top it with shaved beecher's flagship cheese and enjoy!

can't find beecher's in your local market? substitute goat cheese, blue cheese, white cheddar, or manchego.

on memorial day...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 May 2013 14:30:00 +0000

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

-moina micheal,

who began the practice of wearing a read poppy to honor those who died serving our country

looking forward to the weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:54:00 +0000

longingly.

shanghai, china

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:23:00 +0000

a few weeks ago, i visited shanghai for the first time. except for a three-week pre-grad school backpacking adventure, all my other trips to china have been exclusive to beijing.

over the years, i'd heard great things about shanghai from others- it's so modern! it's amazing! you'll love it! i could not wait to experience the city for myself.

after a 2 hour flight to los angeles and and 14 hour flight to shanghai, i arrived! gazing out the window during the 45 minute ride from pudong airport to my hotel, i was amazed to see a gigantic ikea. oh blue and yellow building, how i wish i had time to visit. nothing says souvenir like an assemble-it-yourself 'lack' end table.

on my few days off from work, i ventured out with some colleagues to enjoy the city. but as a resident said- 'if you want history, go to beijing.'

well said.

shanghai definitely lived up to its modern reputation.

exhibit a. the bund sightseeing tunnel.

we stepped into a transporter that looked like my toaster and experienced a completely random audio-visual extravaganza. as a dude's voice recited two word phrases like 'molten magma,' 'shining star,' and 'blue basalt,' the lights and props changed to reflect the words...at least to the extent that those random phrases could be visually expressed.

what a bizarro way to get across the river!

exhibit b. the shanghai world financial tower

questions my colleague was asked at the ticket counter...

are you older than 60? (umm...no.*yikes*)
is today your birthday? (no.)

so apparently if you're over 60 or go on your birthday, you get a discount. if not, you pay 150 RMB like we did (~$25).

after watching the model replica of the city go through a day-night cycle, and watching an 'informative' video about the building, we rode a super-duper fast elevator to the 94th floor. we walked around the observation floor, then took a short ride to the 100th floor to experience the views out the windows and through the clear floors.

exhibit c. the grand hyatt

the hotel lobby is on the 54th floor of the jin mao tower, so my ears popped every time the super-fast elevator took me there. in my room, the window coverings and room lights are controlled via the bedside control panels. snazzy but not ideal when you're jet-lagged. it took me 5 minutes and many button presses to realize that the bathroom light switch was actually on the wall.

out trip was not just full of modern wonders though. we did get to see some history and culture when we visited yu gardens.

is it me, or do the dragon's teeth look new?

outside the walls of the garden, the shops were definitely less cultural. starbucks anyone?

we got a little more culture when we visited the silk museum (read: tourist trap). it was interesting to learn about the silk-making process.

i was very tempted to buy a silk quilt- they really do have a compelling sales pitch which ended with show us a very decompressed quilt to illustrate how simple and convenient it would be to pack in a suitcase. the duvets were also quite lovely.

this piece of silk art (and its $$$ price) left me speechless. wow. and it's two-sided, just so you know.

beyond those two places, it was really hard for me to remember that i was in china. it was not surprising to feel this way in the french concession...i mean, the name says it all.

on the bund, the buildings reflected diverse architecture.

on nanjing road, the stores were ones we have across the u.s.

granted, the haagen-dazs there was a lot classier than the ones we have here. they have waitstaff!

still, there were small reminders that i was far from home. like when i looked down and saw this...

or when i looked up and saw this...

and most definitely when i saw this...

the food there was fantastic. i even made it to a din tai fung for their famous dim sum. the menu was more extensive than the one we have in bellevue.

and finally, some pictures that make me smile.

the flower wall at the bund...

the phrasing on these coin purses...

i think he's a cream puff...

crazy roses...

a restaurant with 'toilet' in its name...

and the knowledge that there is a chip flavor that is called 'american classic.'

strolling through a garden

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 May 2013 03:20:00 +0000

blissfully.

::garden @ willow's lodge, woodinville, washington::

this makes me smile

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:31:00 +0000

...and scratch my head.

standing #2: seattle, washington

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 22:33:00 +0000

university village

celebrating spring

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 04:11:00 +0000

joyfully.

::university village, seattle::

marionberry chip royale ice cream

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 03:45:00 +0000

when it comes to ice cream, the geek and i agree to disagree. we usually buy his and hers cartons of ice cream because we like different things. he'll go for the gallon of cookie dough or mint chocolate chip; i'll pick the pint of some limited edition or seasonal concoction (haagen daz, please bring back the reserve hawaiian lehua honey & sweet cream. thank you).

a couple years ago, we found an ice cream we both loved- raspberry chip royale from dreyers/edys. we both thought the combination of sweet cream, tart berry, and chocolate chips was magical. unfortunately, we must have been the only ones in love with the flavor, because it's no longer available- at least not in our stores.

rather than use raspberries here, i opted for marionberries - a type of blackberry grown in the pacific northwest. i used the same base for this as i did with the hot chocolate ice cream. next time, i may try a non-custard base to lighten it up.

equipment
ice cream maker or kitchen aid attachment
4-quart sauce pan
whisk
1 1/2 quart freezer safe container (stored in the freezer prior to making the ice cream)
heatproof bowl

ingredients
2 cups frozen marionberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

directions

in a medium saucepan, heat the marionberries and sugar over low heat for about 20 minutes. the berries will thicken and the liquid will reduce.
strain the berry mixture through a fine mesh strainer. reserve the marionberry syrup; discard the berry goop.
in a small bowl, create a slurry of 2 tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch.
in a large bowl, combine cream cheese and salt. whip until smooth.
in a 4-quart sauce pan, bring milk, cream, sugar and light corn syrup to boil over medium-high heat. boil for exactly 4 minutes. the milk will bubble up, so keep an eye on it and mix occassionally.
remove from heat and gradually mix in slurry.
return to heat and bring to boil until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
add about a 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the cream cheese and whisk until completely smooth. whisk in the remaining milk mixture. whisk in the marionberry syrup .
cool mixture slightly and cover with plastic wrap, placing the plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to avoid a 'skin' from forming.
refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).
once chilled, transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions.
using heatproof bowl fitted over a pot of simmering water, melt the bittersweet chocolate. (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water).
once the chocolate is melted, drizzle a few spoonfuls of chocolate around the frozen container. swirls, curlicues, alphabets, or any drizzly design that strikes your fancy.
once your ice cream is done, add a layer of it to the container, top with more drizzles of chocolate then stir to break up the drizzles into chocolate chips. add another layer of ice cream, more chocolate drizzle, stir...repeat until all the ice cream is in the container. top with remaining chocolate.
cover and freeze until firm.
to serve, allow to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping.

is it spring yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 06:03:00 +0000

snow-covered plains

snow-sprinkled hills

snowy ground (outside my window in westchester county, new york)

the calendar says yes, but the pictures say otherwise.

let the weekend begin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 05:05:00 +0000

peacefully.

::suntec city mall, singapore, 2007::

harvard beets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 04:31:00 +0000

ever heard of harvard beets? i hadn't until i looked online for sam choy's garlic mashed potatoes recipe and saw them as part of the same menu.

depending on the website, these were either named for the university or a tavern called the 'harwood' that was pronounced with a russian accent.

these would probably look a bit more cambridge-like if i had used red instead of golden beets.

but i didn't.

for any university with gold as a color- this one is for you.

these are deliciously tangy and sweet and make for a very lively side dish.

adapted from the sam choy recipe mentioned above. the ingredients can be adjusted to suite your sweet or sour taste.

ingredients
3 cups fresh beets, cleaned and sliced (or 2 16-ounce cans)
1/2 cup beet liquid (reserved)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch (+ 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

directions

if using fresh beets, place them in a saucepan, cover them with water and simmer until tender (15-20 minutes).
drain the beets, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. set the beets aside.
in a saucepan, combine the reserved cooking liquid (or canned beet liquid) with the sugar and vinegar. bring everything to a boil then slowly stir in cornstarch slurry until you reach the desired consistency.
stir in beets and salt and simmer until beets are heated through.
enjoy.

sloppy joes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:49:00 +0000

this is how the geek eats his sloppy joes. he's quite neat about it. i, on the other hand, like to eat them as open-faced piles of sloppy goodness.

i first made these for the geek back when we were dating. yes, i know- this is probably the most unromantic thing to make someone. it's messy and not at all sophisticated. elementary school cafeteria lunch anyone? it's probably the equivalent of showing up for a date wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt - totally not fashionable, but oh so comfortable.

but the geek is a man of simple tastes. up until these, he thought sloppy joe filling only came in a can. so upon his first bite, he was impressed. he loved it!

he still requests this on a regular basis and he's even learned to make it himself.

and despite my earlier elementary school lunch comment, i love these too. it's saucy, satisfying tastiness on a bun.

adapted from a recipe one of my former bosses gave me. i was in college, in an apartment for the first time and she didn't want me (or my roommates) to starve.

ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 cup ketchup
1 (8oz) can tomato soup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard (the geek likes yellow mustard, i prefer brown)
1 teaspoon chili powder
8 hamburger buns

directions

in a large skillet, brown the hamburger and onion. drain the excess fat/liquid.
add the remaining ingredients and cook over low-medium heat for 10 minutes or longer to allow the flavors to meld.
serve on toasted hamburger buns- neat like the geek or open-faced like me.

serves 4.

notes
i think this tastes better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to combine and mellow.
this freezes well, so you could easily double the recipe.

blueberry mochi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:39:00 +0000

have you ever experienced a recollection where you aren't quiet sure if what you're remembering actually happened or if your mind is playing tricks on you? where you know many of the details are true because you're remembering something that was once your normal, even if your actual memory of that specific moment is hazy?

i am probably being a bit confusing, so let me explain.

while sorting through old recipe cards, i had one of those moments. i found a recipe for blueberry mochi, written in my handwriting- or in my handwriting of ten or fifteen years ago. i knew i'd never made this recipe, but i did have a memory of copying it down.

my family and i are at my grandmother's house for a visit. as always, she's brought out an assortment of canned beverages and cups on a small circular wood tray. i split a can of something with one of my parents and settle in for our visit. on these visits with my grandmother, we'll have our drinks, watch some tv (usually the gameshow network), then head home. if my grandmother attended a recent church function, she'll bring out an mix of desserts and point out which ones were good or not so good. apparently every function at her church ended with lots of extra desserts, and everyone went home with a sample of leftovers.

on this occasion, she brings out a recipe. while i can't remember what it was written on, i can still hear her telling me, "write this down. oishii."

oishii means 'delicious' in japanese. from my stoic grandmother, this is high praise. unfortunately, i remember feeling lazy, not wanting to hand-copy a recipe, and saying something like, "nah, that's okay."

apparently this recipe is really delicious, because she insists, "no, this is good."

my dad steps in and tells me to copy it, so i do. not because i really want a blueberry mochi recipe, but because my grandmother and now my father are telling me to.

now i am glad that i did since my grandmother was right, it is good. she passed away two years ago, and it's been even longer since she was well enough to live unassisted and go to church functions. finding this recipe card brought back happy memories. while i'm not sure if the details are completely accurate, the wood tray of drinks and cups, eating church function left-over desserts, and watching the gameshow network were all part of our regular visits that i'd almost forgotten.

for anyone not familiar with mochi, it's traditionally made by pounding cooked sweet rice until individual grains have broken down and reformed into a chewy blob of slightly sweet goodness. this recipe modernizes the idea, creating what can best be described as a blueberry cake with the chewiness of mochi. it uses sweet rice flour, or mochiko, so no pounding is required.

i found the original recipe on the hawaii electric company website; its for 24 servings (baked in a 9"x13"x2" pan). this is a great size for a potluck (or in the case of my grandmother, a church function) and requires less measuring as it calls for whole boxes or cans of ingredients.

i've adapted the recipe here for a 9x9 pan because 24 servings is just way too much for me and the geek.

equipment
9"x9" oven-safe dish or pan
large mixing bowl
toothpicks (to test doneness)

ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
6 ounces evaporated milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1.5 cups plus 2 tablespoons mochiko (sweet rice flour, available in asian markets. recommended brand: blue star brand by koda farms)
10-11 ounces blueberry pie filling (this is half a can of wilderness/comstock brand)

directions

position rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. grease a 9"x9" baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
in a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until combined.
add the milk, eggs and vanilla and mix.
add the mochiko and baking powder and mix until smooth.
fold in the blueberry pie filling to create a marble effect.
tip mixture into prepared dish and bake for 40-45 minutes. its done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
cool and then cut into squares.

12-16 servings.

notes
the amount of mochiko used in this recipe is equal to half a box of the blue star brand.
once cooled, i store this in the refrigerator tightly covered.

garlic mashed potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 04:38:00 +0000

the geek and his mother both have a story about mashed potatoes. he laughs when he tells it; she rolls her eyes with mock indignance when she tells it. i like to think of myself as an unbiased party when it comes to telling this story...

once upon a time, there was a little geek. occasionally, his mother would serve mashed potatoes as part of their the family meals. now, the little geek did not care for mashed potatoes. to him, it tasted like mashed goo. he tolerated it, shoveled it in and washed it down with milk, but he really, really, most definitely did not like it.

this went on for years, until one day, teenager geek took a bite of mashed potatoes and had an epiphany! this bite of mashed potatoes was delicious! maybe he did like mashed potatoes after all!

"wow," he exclaimed to his mother, "did you do something different with the potatoes because they're really good!"

to this she replied, "this is the first time i made mashed potatoes FROM A BOX."

to this day, the geek prefers his mashed potatoes from a box. in fact, the first time i made this recipe, he was so apprehensive about 'real' mashed potatoes that we bought a box to have on hand just in case.

luckily he liked it enough that we did not have to break open the box. it's in our pantry waiting to save the day if the next starch experiment fails because he still insists that the box is the best.

adapted from sam choy's garlic mashed potatoes recipe.

equipment
peeler
large pot
colander
potato masher

ingredients
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (i used yukon gold)
4 cloves garlic, ends removed and peeled
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
additional salt and pepper to taste
parsley (optional)

directions

place potatoes and garlic cloves in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover everything. bring to boil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. potatoes are ready when they are fork tender. drain into colander and return to pot.
over low heat, mash the potatoes and garlic with a potato masher until desired smoothness.
remove from heat and add butter and heavy cream. add salt and pepper to taste. garnish with parsley, if that's how you roll.
serve immediately (or transfer into a buttered oven-safe dish, cool slightly, cover and refrigerate for later.)

notes

to reheat, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees f. cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until warmed through.

turkey meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:25:00 +0000

this recipe has three winning characteristics. first, it's super simple. second, it uses ingredients we usually have on hand. third, it's delicious (even mr. picky-pants himself is a fan). it's flavorful and a lot lighter than it's beefy counterpart. oh and bonus- it freezes really well.

we usually have these as 'grinders,' sandwiches with saucy meatballs, crusty bread, and a bit of provolone or mozzarella. these are also fantastic with pasta and sauce. add a simple side salad, and you've got yourself a balanced meal. if you'd rather have a side of fries or chips, i won't judge.

my poor baking pan. it's a trooper that has seen better days.

adapted from rachel ray's chicken parm meatball sub recipe on foodnetwork.com.

this recipe is just for turkey meatballs, so think about how you'd like to serve them :)

equipment
medium bowl
baking sheet

ingredients
1 package (1.25 pounds) of ground turkey (i used 90% lean)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 large egg
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup italian breadcrumbs (or 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs plus 1/2 teaspoon each dried basil and dried oregano)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (add an extra tablespoon if using extra-lean turkey)

instructions

pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees (f). spray baking sheet with a non-stick spray.
put the ground turkey into a medium bowl. add the grill seasoning, egg, grated parmesan, and breadcrumbs. gently work ingredients together with your hands until just combined.
form 18-20 medium sized meatballs, placing them about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
bake on middle rack for 15 minutes.
once removed from the oven, these are ready to serve with your favorite pasta and sauce or cool them before freezing in a freezer-safe container.

notes:
to defrost remove the meatballs from the freezer and allow to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. heat in the microwave or in a sauce until warmed through and then enjoy.

to make a grinder, use your favorite marinara or the sauce recipe that comes with the original recipe and warm meatballs in the sauce. warm small baguettes or french bread sandwich rolls, slice length-wise, fill with 3 or 4 meatballs and top with cheese. melt cheese under a broiler for a minute if desired.

the dog is in love

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 23:22:00 +0000

this is what happened when the geek put scrambled eggs in the dog's food dish...

in her excitement to get to the scrambled eggs, she planted a paw her water bowl. she left it there until she finished eating all of her eggs. i take this as evidence that the dog is madly in love with scrambled eggs. when scrambled eggs are around, nothing else matters.

hot chocolate ice cream

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 05:10:00 +0000

over the holidays, we went to visit the geek's family on the east coast. i came home with a large canister of hot chocolate mix in my suitcase.

the geek's grandmother originally received it as a gift. she wasn't sure what to do with so much hot chocolate mix so she gave it to the geek's mom. his grandma just brought it over one day, she didn't try to regift it, in case you're wondering. well the geek's mom offered it to me, and though it weighed a ton, who was i to turn down free chocolate in any form?

so here i am, the third owner this large canister has seen. i am determined to be it's last owner and to put it to good use.

while i could just add a scoop to my morning coffee or declare hot cocoa the official drink of our household, i wanted to do something different. like a hopeful matchmaker, i have been pairing hot chocolate with other desserts in my mind for a while...hot cocoa panna cotta? the texture of panna cotta kinda weirds the geek out. hot chocolate cream pie? the geek is not a fan of pie crust. just as i was about to resign myself to a mug of cocoa with every meal, i remembered a seasonal ice cream i had last winter. hot chocolate ice cream. the geek loves ice cream. we have a winner.

an added bonus- i can check something off my 2013 list of things to do! yay!

adapted from jeni's splendid ice cream base/blank canvas/sweet cream recipe which is posted on a few sites with slight variations.

unless you have a super-snazzy-no-freezing-required ice cream maker, be sure to freeze your canister ahead of time (following the manufacturers instructions.) this recipe requires that the mixture be refrigerated for 4 hours; for the quicker ice bath method, see original directions on food52.

equipment
ice cream maker or kitchen aid attachment
4-quart sauce pan
whisk
1 1/2 quart freezer safe container

ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons hot chocolate mix (i used a 'just add milk type' rather than one that calls for hot water)
mini marshmallows or bits (optional topping)

directions

in a small bowl, create a slurry of 2 tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch.
in a large bowl, combine cream cheese and salt. whip until smooth.
in a 4-quart sauce pan, bring milk, cream, sugar and light corn syrup to boil over medium-high heat. boil for exactly 4 minutes. the milk will bubble up, so keep an eye on it and mix occassionally.
remove from heat and gradually mix in slurry.
return to heat and bring to boil until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
add about a 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the cream cheese and whisk until completely smooth. whisk in the remaining milk mixture. whisk in the hot chocolate mix.
cool mixture slightly and cover with plastic wrap, placing the plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to avoid a 'skin' from forming.
refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).
once chilled, transfer the mixture to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions.
once your ice cream is done, transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until firm.
to serve, allow to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping.

cinnamon & brown sugar cream cheese frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:48:00 +0000

these cupcakes turned out okay. while i loved the frosting, the banana cupcakes turned out more like banana muffins or banana bread bites. the muffins were delicious and if i were trying to make banana muffins, i would be quite pleased with how these tasted.

but i was trying to make cupcakes. cups of cake. not cups of bread. cupcakes!!!

okay, enough of the sugar tantrum. off to hunt for the perfect banana cupcake recipe.

in the meantime, please enjoy this frosting recipe. it works well on banana muffins and sandwiched between two gingersnaps. it would also be lovely on banana cupcakes, a spice cake, a yellow cake or if you're the geek, a spoon.
makes 2 cups

equipment
electric hand-held mixer
large mixing bowl

ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 oz light cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

directions

in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until combined add the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat for 2 minutes.
add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, mixing on low to combine after each cup.
if the frosting is too thick, add milk a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

notes:
if making ahead, refrigerate until ready to use. for best spreadability, allow to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes and mix well before frosting anything.

simple sugar snap peas on an otherwise crazy day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 04:59:00 +0000

i wish i could say that i went out to the garden and spent the afternoon picking a basket full of sugar snap peas for dinner. i wish i could say that i lovingly selected only the most perfect ones and then carefully removed the ends and strings. i wish i could say that i expertly prepared the sugar snap peas simultaneously with the beef wellington all while a homemade dessert chilled in the refrigerator.

i wish i could say all of that, but i can't.

what i can say is that we do not have a garden. i can also say that i spent my day trying to get actual work done between conference calls. i can say that we did indeed have sugar snap peas but they came pre-washed and trimmed in a bag from the grocery store. i haphazardly prepared them while simultaneously defrosting the shoyu chicken, letting the dog out, and sorting the mail. i remembered to make the rice to go with our meal ahead of time, so i count that as a success. as the geek ate his sugar snap peas, he declared the dish 'not offensive'- which from him is high praise when it comes to vegetables.

as for dessert, i think there's ice cream in the freezer.

don't mind the protective layer of ice, i hear it seals in the flavor.

adapted from ina garten's recipe for sautéed sugar snap peas.

equipment
medium skillet

ingredients
8 oz. sugar snap peas, strings removed
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

directions

heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
add the sugar snap peas, salt and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes until sugar snap peas are crisp tender.
enjoy!

serves 2.

fruit dip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:23:00 +0000

have you ever had a sound or a smell evoke memories from your past? maybe you're driving along and a song comes on the radio, and just like that, you're back in college or high school or summer camp. or you smell something familiar baking and you're suddenly back in your childhood kitchen.

me? when i hear smashmouth's all-star, i'm instantly happy. i'm back on a roadtrip with friends and find myself singing loudly and badly - just as i did years ago when it played almost hourly on the radio. cool water? one sniff and i'm once again in middle school. i swear, so many boys wore it that you could probably smell our campus from a mile away.

the taste of this dip has an effect on me too. it transports me back to the 80s, where i'm still a kid, cartoons are my world, and apples and dip are the best treat ever.

while i associate this dip with the 80s, who knows when this dip was actually invented? it has only two ingredients - cream cheese and mashmallow fluff - and both have been around for ages (the newer of the two being the fluff which made it's appearance in the early 1900s...thank you wikipedia).

the nostalgic part of me probably loves this dip for what it represents...simpler times and a higher metabolism.

equipment
electric mixer or a sturdy spoon

ingredients

1 (8oz) block cream cheese, softened
1 (7oz) jar marshmallow fluff (a/k/a marshmallow creme)
sliced fruit for dipping (i like apples and pears, 2 of each are usually enough for one batch of dip)

directions
using an electric hand-held mixer, combine cream cheese and marshmallow fluff until smooth.

if mixing by hand, mix the cream cheese to soften first, then incorporate the marshmallow fluff for a smoother finish.

notes
regular cream cheese seems to mix smoother than light; taste-wise though light works fine. just keep mixing until smooth, or enjoy with lumps if you're lazy.