Snacking in the Kitchen

Girl Scout Samoas Chicken Tenders and Noodle Salad Recipe Contest

2012-02-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

I am not a Girl Scout, but I have eaten plenty of Girl Scout cookies. When I got a chance to participate in the Girl Scouts of Western Washington Cookie Recipe Contest, I jumped right in. I picked up 5 boxes of cookies, a combination of Samoas, Thin Mints, and Trefoils and headed back to my kitchen. I won't lie, I opened up a box of Thin Mints and ate a few right away, just to get the creative juices flowing. Creating a recipe with the cookies was going to be a challenge. I wanted the cookie to stand out and be an integral part of the recipe. At the end, I chose Samoas - "Tender vanilla cookies, covered with caramel, rolled in toasted coconut, and striped with a rich, chocolatey coating."

Instead of creating a dessert recipe, I chose to go in a savory direction. I crushed the cookies in a food processor and used them in combination with Panko crumbs, almonds, and Szechuan and Cayenne peppers as a coating for chicken tenders. And because you can never have enough cookies, I added extra Samoas to the rice noodle salad.

Girl Scout Samoas Chicken Tenders and Noodle Salad

Ingredients

For the Chicken
8 Samoas
1/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground Cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
1 pound chicken tenderloins

For the Dressing
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Salad
8 ounces rice stick noodles
1 cup red bell pepper, julienned
1 cup jicama, julienned
1 orange, cut into segments
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons mint, roughly chopped
2 Samoas, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons toasted almonds, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet.

2. Pulse Samoas and almonds in a food processor (separately), until coarsely ground. Combine Samoas, almonds, bread crumbs, pepper and salt in a bowl. This is the coating for the chicken tenders.

3. Brush chicken tenders with spicy brown mustard. Press the tenders into the Samoas coating and place on top of a cooling rack.

4. Bake the chicken tenders for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

5. While the chicken tenders are baking, cook the rice noodles according to the package directions.

6. In a large bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Once cooked, rinsed, and drained, add the noodles to the dressing and toss to combine.

7. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the noodles.

8. Serve the Samoas chicken tenders on top of the salad.

When it comes to developing a recipe, you can never know exactly how it will turn out until you eat it. I can't tell you how many people warned me that chicken and Samoas would be a weird combination. Eat your words! :) This salad came together like a happy troop of Girls Scouts. Spicy and sweet at the same time, this is a healthy and fun way to enjoy Samoas for lunch. And go ahead, have a few extra for dessert!

What is your favorite Girls Scout cookie?

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Southwestern Confetti Double Baked Potatoes

2012-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

Last week there was this very important game on TV. Lots of guys running around a field, protected with padding, helmets, and jock straps. Something about the New York Giants winning? Oh right! It was the Super Bowl. Well, not being a fan of football, I was still very excited when my friend Carly (aka Apple Girl) invited me over for a potluck football viewing party.

Carly was going to bake ginger soy chicken, which turned out amazing! Other potluck contributions included an apple crisp, French macaroons, chips, and fantastic fried Mac and Cheese balls (made by another Apple Girl, Rachel). Instead of beer, we sipped on Mango Peach White Sangria that Carly put together (if you are lucky, she'll write a guest blog post and share her recipe with the rest of us!).

When thinking about my contribution to the potluck, I was reminded of an episode of The Pioneer Woman on Food Network where Ree Drummond makes double baked potatoes. I love potatoes, and when cut in half and baked, they resemble footballs! This was going to be perfect, I thought. I decided to make these double baked potatoes vegetarian, colorful and relatively healthy by adding some vegetables. The Southwestern Confetti Double Baked Potatoes were born, cooked, and devoured.

Southwestern Confetti Double Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

12-14 small Idaho potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
coarse salt
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon Southwestern seasoning blend
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 bunch green onions, sliced
8 ounces shredded cheese, divided
ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Coat potatoes with half of olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt. Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Arrange potatoes on top of the cooling rack and bake for one hour.

2. While the potatoes are baking, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and seasoning. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3. Once baked, remove the potatoes from the oven, and cool. Slice potatoes in half. Carefully scoop the potato flesh into a bowl, making sure not to rip the skin.

4. Add half and half and sour cream to the potatoes. Mash thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Stir in sauteed vegetables, green onions and half the cheese.

5. Scoop the potato filling back into potato skins (I used a cookie scoop). Sprinkle potatoes with the remaining cheese and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are heated through and the cheese has melted.

Time to eat!

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Pastel de Nata: Portuguese Egg Tarts aka Chinese Dessert

2012-02-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

It was time for another foodcentric book club meeting. The assigned book was Sharks Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop. For some reason, I could not get into the book. I tried to read it on the plane; I tried to read it in bed, on the couch, and even outside. I got uncontrollable cravings for delicious, spicy, flavorful Sichuan cuisine, but couldn't be forced to turn the page.

The thought of skipping the book club never did enter my mind. After all, one of the components of the club is the potluck where each attendee cooks or brings a dish inspired by the book.

What to bring? I knew the hostess-with-the-mostest, Naomi of Gastrognome, would be making the Dan Dan Noodles, and there was some talk of grilled lamb skewers with cumin and stir-fried eggplant. I thought something sweet would round up the meal nicely. Unfortunately, the book itself did not have a dessert recipe, so I turned to the world of on-line research. Googling "Sichuan dessert recipes" led me to the Rasa Malaysia site and a simple recipe for Portuguese Egg Tarts.

Portuguese and/or Chinese Egg Tarts
(makes 12 tarts; recipe adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

Crust Ingredients

11 ounce box Betty Crocker Pie Crust Mix

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted butter

1/3 cup cold water

1 tablespoon sugar

Filling Ingredients

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup of sugar

2/3 cups half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Garnish

Toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a muffin tin with oil spray. In a bowl, combine pie crust mix, water, butter, and sugar. Roll the dough into a log on a floured surface, about 14 inches long.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the filling ingredients.

3. Cut the dough log into 12 equal pieces. Place each piece on the bottom of the muffin tin and form a shell by gently pressing the dough into the bottom and the sides. Use a fork to make holes on the bottom of each crust. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven and fill with the egg custard. You might have a little bit of the custard left over, depending on how high you make your crust.

5. Place the tarts back in the oven and bake for additional 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the custard is set. Remove the tarts from the oven and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Cool the tarts on a rack.

You are ready to eat now. I couldn't resist and ate one of the tarts while it was still warm. The rest of the eleven tarts made it to the book club.

I was trying to figure out how to transport these golden sweets and came up with the idea of an egg carton - ha!

Have a sweet day!

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Secret Life of a Recipe Tester: Vegetarian Mexican Posole Soup

2012-02-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about becoming a Recipe Tester? Would you like to learn more about it? Well, today is your lucky day. In the last five years, I have tested recipes for cookbooks, magazines, and other culinary publications. While recipe testing, I developed a stomach of steel and the patience of a saint (or at least I would like to believe so). Recipe testing requires culinary knowledge, patience, attention to detail and perseverance.

This week, I am testing a few recipes for an upcoming cookbook - if you would like more information, please leave a message and I will follow up once the book is published. In general, when testing recipes, the tester is reimbursed the cost of groceries. In some rare, but highly appreciated instances, a recipe tester also gets a copy of the cookbook and perhaps a small token of appreciation in a form of a gift card.

What's on the list this week? Vegetarian Posole! I tried this popular Mexican soup for the first time when I lived in Texas. It has a deep, rich, smoky flavor of ancho chilies. Traditionally made with pork or chicken, the soup resembles the chicken tortilla soup. This recipe takes the traditional version and lightens it up.

The completely vegetarian version uses hominy and extra-firm tofu. Serve the soup with a variety of toppings including chopped cilantro, avocado, onion and lime wedges. If you have corn chips, go ahead and use them as well. I didn't have any on hand and instead cooked a corn tortilla on a cast iron skillet and cut it up into strips.

Enjoy! I think a pot of this vegetarian posole will be fantastic for Super Bowl Sunday!

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One Pot Wonder: Chicken and Rice With Green Olives and Tomatoes

2012-01-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

When you are your own dishwasher, every dirty plate, skillet and kitchen utensil can set you off (at least that's my experience). There are times when I feel that I spend more energy and minutes rinsing, soaping, rinsing and drying than I do cooking. For those times, there is a miracle solution - one pot meal wonders. And this is exactly it! One pot Chicken & Rice with Green Olives and Tomatoes.

Chicken and Rice With Green Olives and Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons oil

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 chicken breast, skinless and boneless, diced

1 cup Jasmine rice

2 cups liquid (chicken stock, vegetable broth, or water), at hot temperature

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large fryer pan, or a wide pot over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes.

2. Add chicken and continue to cook until the chicken is evenly browned.

3. Add rice and cook for a few more minutes to coat the rice in oil

4. Add liquid to the chicken and rice, bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has completely evaporated and the rice is tender.

5. Fluff the rice and chicken with a fork, and stir in tomatoes and olives.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Now you eat! When finished, all you have to do is wash one pan, a cutting board, a knife and a mixing spoon. How easy is that?

If you have your own favorite version of one pot meal wonder, please share.

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Playing With Food: Happy Face Breakfast

2012-01-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

Whether you are cooking for kids, adults, or adult kids, making your food fun is a fantastic challenge! The other morning, making breakfast for myself and another kid-at-heart adult, I put together a happy face. This couldn't be easier.

On the plate, arranged in the smiley face shape are: two sunny side up eggs (eyes), black bean and chocolate chili, sliced avocados (lips/mouth), and toasted whole grain black bread (hair). Later on, I added a dash of hot sauce to each of the yolks (but I was too hungry to take a picture). This was a relatively healthy, definitely delicious, and a fun breakfast to eat.
#kids #cookingwithkids #funwithfood
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Vegetable Cabbage Soup with Jalapeno Chile and Lime

2012-01-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

If bosrcht had a cousin, this cabbage soup would be it. The soup basically has all the elements of bosrcht minus the beets, so think of it as a paler, more innocent cousin. Or perhaps it just doesn't blush as much.

The soup was a regular staple of my childhood. The simplicity of potatoes, cabbage, and carrots combined together in a delicate melody. The soup was garnished with a dollop of sour cream and freshly chopped parsley or dill.

This time, when making the soup, I decided to give it a bit of a punch with the addition of jalapeno pepper, fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Last minute, I added broccoli florets for color and extra nutrients.

If you are not concerned with making this a vegetarian recipe, feel free to use homemade chicken broth. This is a lovely bowl of goodness to keep you warm on a cold day. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 small cabbage, quartered and sliced

Broccoli florets

Salt & Pepper

juice of one lime

Cilantro and sour cream for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, tomatoes, and jalapeno. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. While the vegetables are cooking, add potatoes to a soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Add the sauteed vegetables and cabbage to the soup. Bring back to a boil and cook for a few minutes, just enough to wilt the cabbage.

4. Stir in the broccoli florets. Season the soup with lime juice, salt and pepper.

5. Serve the soup with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Do you like my new soup plates? Another great Value Village find.

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Sandwich of the Week: Burger with Swiss Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayonnaise

2012-01-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

Dinner time! Tonight, I'm cooking for one. Stocking up for the Seattle snowstorm earlier in the day, I picked up ground beef to make a pot of chili. When it came time to make dinner, the ground beef was still sitting wrapped up, in the refrigerator, untouched. There was no time to make chili, yet I still had to eat. Why not make a burger? I call this creation a Sandwich Burger, because instead of a traditional burger bun, I used two slices of whole grain bread. Sliced in half, I ate the burger just like I would a sandwich. A bag of chips would've been a nice addition, but I settled for a glass of tomato juice. Enjoy! Make this for yourself, but the recipe multiplies simply enough to make for the whole family.

Craving more burger ideas? Be sure to check out these posts.

Sandwich Burger with Swiss Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Horseradish Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Vegetable oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1/4 pound ground beef

1 slice Swiss Cheese

2 slices whole grain bread

Horseradish

Mayonnaise

1 tomato, sliced

2 pickles, sliced

Directions

1. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and saute for 10 minutes.

2. Push onions to one side. Form the beef into a patty, avoiding overworking the beef. Cook in the cast iron skillet 3-5 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper on each side. Top the beef patty with a slice of cheese.

3. While the cheese is melting, toast the bread.

4. Spread each side of the bread with horseradish and mayonnaise. Top one of the slices with tomato, pickles, caramelized onions and beef patty. Place the other slice of bread on top and press gently. Slice the sandwich burger in half.

5. Serve with a napkin.

What's your favorite burger? More burger ideas.

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Dining out in Portugal: Culinary Adventures in Lisbon

2012-01-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

It's snowing today in Seattle and I'm reminiscing over sunny and slightly warmer days in Lisbon, Portugal. One of the joys of travels is discovering new culture, and one of the most delicious ways of doing it is through food! I wanted to share photos and thoughts of my culinary adventures in Portugal with you, dear snackers!

Portugal is famous for its seafood (proximity to the source) and Vinho Verde (fresh, slightly effervescent wine made from "green grapes"). Our first meal in Lisbon was at a local restaurant, Restaurante Rio Coura, bustling with jovial chatter of the locals, clinking of glasses,and swishy sounds of paper table cloths turned over to greet new guests.

Unless you have a personal restaurant recommendation, picking a restaurant in a foreign country might be tricky. Don't get sucked in by menus written in English or bored waiters standing on the street, begging you to come in and taste their delights. Instead, pay attention and find out where the locals eat! If at all possible, pretend you are Rachael Ray and ask the locals for a recommendation (skip your hotel's concierge).

Our meal started with a basket of bread and Bolinhos de Bacalhau - Portuguese cod fritters. I'm not sure why, but the bread was stale. We sipped on a bottle of Vinho Verde and awaited the delivery of our main course.

For the main course, we ordered grilled calamari and a mixed seafood platter. Talk about seafood delight! The calamari were some of the best I've ever tasted ~ no rubber here! Grilled to perfection, charred and tender, they were simply delicious. A healthy sprinkle of lemon went a long way.

The seafood platter had a variety of fish (salmon and white fish), grilled calamari, and boiled potatoes.

Nothing but the bones were left. Thanks for a delightful meal.

Have you been to Portugal? If so, what was your favorite meal?

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Project "You Buy, You Cook" ~ Morning Breakfast Scrabmle

2012-01-12T14:32:00.000-08:00

The tables are turned and I am changing the rules of the "You Buy, I Cook" project. In this installment, we will be doing things a little bit differently. I decided to put the artist to work in my kitchen this morning, encouraging him to make breakfast from the groceries he brought over last week.

I must admit, not putting in my 2 or 4 cents and staying out of the kitchen while he cooked was challenging, to say the least. But, I am happy to report that the kitchen didn't burn down, the food turned out delicious and healthy, and there was not too much to clean up.

Tofu and Mushroom Scramble with Red Bell Pepper and Swiss Cheese

1. Prepare your ingredients: dice and slice tofu, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno. Whisk eggs and season.

2. Saute tofu, mushrooms, onion and bell pepper in olive oil. Add jalapeno and season with salt and pepper.

3. Lower the heat and pour in the eggs. At this point, you can make this into an omelet or a scramble. We had a scramble.

4. Add Swiss cheese and finish cooking. Serve with plenty of hot sauce.

Thanks for a lovely breakfast.

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Not Your Average Market - Photo Adventures from Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, Spain

2012-01-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

In Seattle, we are spoiled by having Pike Place Market right in our backyard, so to speak. Years ago, I worked within a 2-minute walk from the market and made it my daily lunch destination. I love taking out-of-town friends to the market to share with them the bounty of the Northwest. Regardless of the time of the year, you can always be sure to find the freshest and most delicious offerings there.

My love affair with markets must have started in my early childhood. I remember my grandmother taking my sister and me to the main market in Moscow, Russia where we walked through the aisles and were greeted by old, wrinkly ladies selling sunflower seeds, fat juicy pickles, and my favorite - pickled garlic.

Recently, I experienced a market in Barcelona, Spain and was blown away. La Boqueria Market (Mercat de la Boqueria) was within a few blocks from our hostel and was a must-see on my nonexistent itinerary. I could've spent hours, or even days, in this magical place, but there were churches to see and museums to browse, and so I snapped a few photos and breathed in the market magic during the allotted time. If you are lucky enough to spend time in Barcelona, Spain, be sure to visit the market.

Welcome to the market!

Before...

... After

Seafood Galore!

For MangoTomato

Caliente!

Nuts, Chocolates, and Dried Fruit

Fruit Selection

Turned into juice!

What is your favorite market?

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Project "You Buy, I Cook" ~ Tortilla Española: The Spanish Omelet

2012-01-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

On the heels of our European adventures, the artist showed up at my door with two bags of groceries. Among other goodies inside, I found a bag of potatoes, a carton of eggs, and an onion.

These three ingredients led themselves perfectly to the re-creation of a true standby at any of Spain's tapas bars - Tortilla Española. At first glance, the name of the dish might be misleading, making you think of a staple in Mexican cuisine - the tortilla - made out of either corn or wheat flour, used for tacos, enchiladas, etc.

The Spanish version of the tortilla is a different animal, altogether. It is an omelet, of sorts, made with thinly sliced or cubed potatoes. Served either warm or at room temperature, it is accompanied by aioli, a mixture of olive-oil based mayonnaise and lots of garlic.

Unfortunately, the two times we had Tortilla Española in Spain, the results were less than stellar. The dish was bland and offered little joy. Having tasted many delicious versions of this potato omelet in the past (both at restaurants and homemade), I decided to cook us one for breakfast.

Both the ingredients and the methods for this dish are somewhat simple. I will try to guide you through the process in a casual manner. If at all possible, you want to use a mandoline to create uniform, thin slices of potatoes, and a non-stick pan (somehow, I don't own one and had to use two stainless steel pans instead).

Note: I do not claim this to be a traditional version of Tortilla Española. I have added onion, garlic and paprika to mine. In the past, I have also added sliced bell peppers.

Recipe for Tortilla Española, Serves 2-4

Ingredients

Olive oil and vegetable oil
2 Russet potatoes (medium in size), scrubbed, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/8")
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
4 eggs, whisked
dash of paprika

Directions

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan (Like I said earlier, I used stainless steel pans. I used a larger pan to cook the potatoes and switched to a smaller one for making the actual omelet).

2. Add potatoes to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally (You want to make sure the potatoes cook until almost tender, but do not brown. Mine browned slightly - I presume the heat was a bit too high, and my patience was a bit low. When cooking potatoes, I like to cover them with a lid to speed up the process).

3. Add onion and garlic to the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the onion is soft and potatoes are tender.

4. Whisk eggs with paprika, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour the eggs over the potatoes (At this point, I switched to a smaller pan to give the omelet more height). Lower the heat and continue to cook until the egg is set.

5. Get ready to flip! If you are brave, attempt the flipping of the omelet directly inside the pan. For those of you are more risk averse, cover the pan with a large plate, hold the plate securely, and flip the pan - the omelet will now be resting securely on the plate. Carefully, slide the omelet off the plate back into the pan and finish cooking until the egg is completely set.

6. Once cooked, remove the Tortilla Española from the pan and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Cut the Tortilla Española into wedges and serve with garlic aioli.

This will taste even better with a glass or two of red sangria, some cold cuts and a slice of manchego. I almost feel like I am back in a tapas bar.

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Happy New Year ~ Ringing in the 2012 in style, in Barcelona, Spain

2012-01-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

This year, I found myself ringing in the New Year in Barcelona, Spain, with the artist and his family. We joined the masses of Spaniards at one of the city's squares, by the water, with a bottle of champagne and a stack of plastic glasses.

Counting down to one, the cork was popped, and the champagne poured freely, sending tiny bubbles to the top of the glass. It did not matter that we were drinking from plastic glasses and not the finest crystal. The fireworks lit up the sky, a few Spaniards jumped into the water, and we started the year with a kiss.

Being away from my family for the New Year celebration, I was determined to keep at least one of the family traditions - the Russian potato salad to celebrate the passing of the old year and the start of the new one. Luckily, every tapas bar in Spain serves the Russian potato salad. Slightly altered, with the addition of tuna and olives, the salad still reminded me of home. Our New Year dinner table also included a large pitcher of red sangria, olives and feta, chorizo, fish, marinated artichokes and bread.

The next day, early at 4am, we embarked on our 24-hour return trip to Seattle.

And just like I thought it would happen, back in Seattle, I was greeted by a large plate of Russian potato salad and a piece of bread with butter and salmon roe caviar - thank you, parents! It's going to be a good year!

Please, share your family traditions for celebrating the New Year. I am wishing you all, my dear snackers, a happy, fulfilling, delicious, and healthy 2012.

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Food Photo Styling Workshop - Make Your Food Look as Good as it Tastes, or Better

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

Months ago, I was lucky to attend a photo styling workshop with the fabulous, talented, and funny Clare Barboza and Becky Selengut. I offered my skills as a dishwasher (aka kitchen manager) and in turn was graciously offered a space in the workshop. I definitely got the better end of the bargain!

I have to admit, I was the only one among the students with the point-and-shoot camera, and might have experienced a bit of camera envy and camera inadequacy. But I carried through and had a fantastic time.

Here are my favorite and, in my opinion, most successful photos from the shoot.

Thanks ladies!

Lesson: use texture and color. Sprinkle powdered sugar right at the last moment. Think of what mood you are trying to set. In this photo, I went for earthy, natural colors to go along with the cinnamon sticks and sage leaves used as both a garnish and a component in Becky's butternut squash and apple beignets.

The difficulty with this photo was the food itself. As delicious as it was, it clearly isn't the prettiest plate of food we have seen. The challenge was to allow the food to speak for itself. How would you photograph rice and dahl? I chose to go with vibrant colors underneath the plate. Also, I wanted to showcase the condiments on a side, adding extra color to the composition.

Here's one more shot. You can see the additional texture of the wood underneath the condiment plate. I also garnished the main dish with a dollop of yogurt, hoping to break up the brown colors in the rice and dahl.

The last exercise during the workshop was salad. We were challenged to plate the salad "outside of the plate" so to speak. I was immediately drawn to this particular white plate. I fanned the figs, halved in the center, trying to focus on them as the main ingredient. On either side of the figs, I arranged toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped and a chunk of blue cheese, sitting in the pool of balsamic.

I am excited to take the lessons I have learned during the workshop and apply them in my future photography projects. Who knows, perhaps one day, I will too be one of those people with a big camera and multiple lenses!

For now, I continue my search for the next best napkin, surface area, and other fun accessories.

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Good morning - all inclusive breakfast in Lisbon, Portugal

2011-12-27T03:01:00.000-08:00

You probably don't want to be too hungry while looking at these photos. I snapped a few shots from our breakfast at the Internacional Design hotel in Lisbon, Portugal. Mimosas, cold cuts, quiche, pastries, and coffee! Makes me one happy girl, and perhaps just a bit tired and hoping for a nap that is not going to happen. Notice the orange accents at the bar. I have to say, I haven't seen that much orange everywhere in a long time. It makes me feel right at home.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays with Cookie Decorating

2011-12-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

I might not be Martha Stewart, as much as I might want to be, but I do know a thing or two about cookie decorating. In time that it took a bunch of 5th graders decorate dozens of cookies, smearing icing everywhere in sight, and sneaking in an occasional chocolate chip or two, I decorated six cookies.

Which one is your favorite?

These cookies were decorated at Allrecipes for the Cookies Across America project.

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Project "You Buy, I Cook" ~ For the Love of Orange

2011-12-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

A mother should not admit to having a favorite child. I should not admit to having a favorite You Buy, I Cook project. But if I did, this one would be it! It all started with an article claiming that orange is the color of 2012. Orange, just happens to be my favorite color, ever, no doubt! After an impromptu facebook chat with my friend Angie, I decided to host a special edition of You Buy, I Cook - For the Love of Orange.

The lovely ladies (in order of appearance) Alla, Angie, Anna, and Kellie came to my kitchen with orange, and other color goodies and we set to cook!

Scroll down to see what we had on the menu. Interested in a particular "recipe"? Let me know!

The menu:

Carrots with 1000 island dressing
Orange bell pepper salad with tomatoes and cucumbers
Roasted salmon with Persimmon and Kumquat Salsa with Cilantro and Jalapeno

Red and White Quinoa with Sauteed Portabello Mushrooms and Asparagus
Stuffed Orange Peppers with Quinoa
Orange Sorbet with Dark Chocolate Chunks in waffle bowls
Sparkling Peach Wine, Sangria, Iced Tea
and.....
CHEETOS!

Thank you for making this such a delicious celebration of orange!

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Homemade Holiday Gifts Baked to Order: Biscotti

2011-12-14T14:48:00.000-08:00

The holidays are just around the corner! If you want to gift your family and friends with delicious, freshly baked biscotti, but don't have the time, I am here to help!

Select from several varieties, or pick your personal favorite combination of dried fruit and nuts

*Cranberry and Walnut
*Orange, Cranberry and Pistachios
*Raisin and Pecan
*Apricot and Walnut
*Poppy Seed and Lemon
*Ginger and Almond
*Chocolate Chip and Walnut
*Clean Your Pantry: combination of dried fruit and nuts

You will get a dozen of biscotti cookies per order, baked to order. Each biscotti is approximately 4-5" in length, and 1/2" in width. $15/dozen plus shipping.

Order through the blog or place your order on etsy.

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Cookies Across America with Allrecipes and Nestlé Toll House

2011-12-09T13:08:00.001-08:00

I am so excited to take part of Cookies Across America with Allrecipes and Nestlé Toll House tomorrow! I will be joining Allrecipes staff and a group of Seattle food bloggers to decorate cookies that will be later donated to Pikes Place Senior Center.

For those of you who can't make it tomorrow but still want to participate, please pledge to bake cookies during this holiday season and share them with those in need.

Happy holidays!

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Toad in a Hole Meets Pancake

2011-12-07T13:17:00.001-08:00

We all have heard about toad in a hole - a fun breakfast idea where the egg is pan fried inside a piece of toast. The trick to the dish is to make sure that your bread is toasted and crusty on the outside, the egg white is perfectly set, and the egg yolk is soft and gooey. It can be quite challenging, but when done correctly, totally satisfying.

I normally do not have bread in my kitchen, making toad in a hole an unlikely occurrence. This morning, craving an egg, I opened my refrigerator and was reminded of the leftover batter from Apple and Bacon Pancakes. "Why not an egg in a pancake?" I thought. I pulled out my skillet and got cooking.

To make Egg in a Pancake, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil and allow the oil to heat up. Ladle the pancake batter into a pan, I used the apple and bacon pancake batter, but feel free to use your favorite recipe. Next, carefully crack an egg and place it in the middle of the batter.

Lower the heat slightly, and continue to cook the pancake until the batter bubbles up on top. Get your spatula, say a prayer, and carefully flip the pancake and the egg. Cook a few more minutes on the other side, say another prayer, and flip the pancake and the egg onto a warmed up plate.

I drizzled the Egg in a Pancake with syrup and hot sauce. The egg yolk miraculously stayed soft and created a lovely infusion with the sweet syrup and spicy sauce.

I still have some pancake batter left, what should I do with it next?

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Project "You Buy, I Cook" ~ Apple and Bacon Pancakes

2011-12-06T11:21:00.001-08:00

The third installment of "You Buy, I Cook" is here! Last time, I made a Salad with Pomegranate and Asian Pear with Priya. This time, my friend Anna came over for a night of Breakfast for Dinner and a movie. The movie never happened, but we did play a fantastic game of Scrabble.

Just a quick reminder of how this project works - you bring groceries, I cook (you have a chance to cook and learn with me, if you wish), we eat, you do the dishes.

Back to Breakfast for Dinner. Eggs, bacon, and pancakes came immediately to mind. Then I had the idea to combine the bacon and pancakes, throw in an apple – and, voila, Apple and Bacon Pancakes were born. We also devoured a plate of sunny side up eggs and roasted potatoes.

Apple and Bacon Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
healthy pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (originally, I wanted to use buttermilk, but apparently the store did not have it, so we settled on half-and-half)
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into thin strips (do not use a grater to grate apples - you'll end up with too much juice and hardly any texture)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Carefully stir in bacon and apples.

2. Heat a large pan over medium high heat. (I tried using a cast iron skillet and somehow it didn't work for me. Since I don't have a non-stick pan, I ended up using a heavy bottom stainless steel pan). Add a little bit of oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan, and allow the oil to warm up.

3. Use a measuring cup (1/4 c) or a small ladle to make pancakes. Cook the pancakes for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Once bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, you know it is time to flip them. Be sure to flip away from you to prevent any oil splattering.

4. Add a little bit of oil to the pan between the batches. Serve the pancakes hot, with a drizzle of syrup and hot sauce.

The good news is the batter keeps well overnight in the refrigerator. Feel free to make it a day ahead to save some time in the morning (unless you'll be making these sinful delights for Dinner for Breakfast).

I am guessing you won't have too many leftovers :)

Do you love Breakfast for Dinner? What is on your menu?

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Culinary Adventures in Portland, Oregon

2011-12-05T10:57:00.001-08:00

We left the turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing behind, packed our bags and headed out to Portland for a post-Thanksgiving weekend away.

Magically, after days of never-ending pouring rain in Seattle, the sky cleared up, the sun made its much appreciated appearance, and the traffic cooperated nicely.

On the way to Portland, we made a stop in Olympia, Washington to pay our respects to the Washington state capital and walk around. Not wanting to leave right away, we drove to the downtown area and missed it. That's right - the downtown is literally just a few blocks in length.

Looking for fuel in the form of caffeine, we stopped at Bonjour Cupcakes bakery. The bakery had an old charming feel and decor, with scattered cupcake-related merchandise.

We chose two mini cupcakes: red velvet and chocolate mocha, adorned with a chocolate covered coffee bean. While I can't vouch for the red velvet cupcake (someone is still learning how to share), the chocolate mocha cupcake was a perfect two-bite delight.

Our first meal in Portland was just a few blocks from the hotel (we stayed at the fancy Historic Governor Hotel - thank you www.priceline.com). Kenny and Zuke's Delicatessen serves up pastrami sandwiches, lots of local beer, and plenty of pickles. Unfortunately, they were out of latkes for the night, and the gefilte fish has yet to make its appearance on the menu, but the place was bustling with happy customers and we were ready to order.

Pardon for the quality of the photo. The photos in this post were taken with my new phone and could use some work. Back to the food. The chicken liver sandwich with pastrami was my favorite. I honestly would've loved it without the pastrami, and will order it plain if I return to the deli. The pickles were crunchy, and as addicting as ever. I did like the potato salad and coleslaw, but my body was craving something hot and slightly more nurturing - perhaps a bowl of matzo ball soup would've done the trick.

Following the meal, we walked around the downtown area of Portland, taking in the holiday lights and the ever-present determined Black Friday shoppers. I won't lie - there was a mandatory stop to the Macy's shoe department, but somehow I ended up purchasing zilch and taking no advantage of tax-free shopping the entire weekend.

On the way back to the hotel we stumbled across Voodoo Doughnut shop. Along with the glaring neon sign and the long line of patrons that extended outside, the sweet smell of doughnuts beckoned us to come in. We settled on a Mango Tango (raised yeast doughnut, filled with mango jelly and topped with vanilla frosting and tang!) and Raspberry Romeo’s (raised yeast doughnut, filled with raspberry jelly and glazed on the outside).

I did enjoy the unusual flavors of Mango Tango and the tanginess that mango added to the doughnut. I dedicated the doughnut to my sister of MangoTomato and my good friend, and tango extraordinaire Lera. Unfortunately, Raspberry Romeo's didn't fare as well and ended up composed, hardly eaten.

The next day's adventure started at Fuller's Coffee Shop. This traditional, cash only, diner served up heaping plates of eggs, crispy potatoes, and bacon.

I went for a Mexican-style breakfast of potatoes, smothered with tomatoes, mushrooms (clearly canned, not fresh), spinach, salsa, cheese, and sour cream. My partner, once again, chose a more delicious option of spinach and sausage scramble with crisp potatoes on the side. We finished with country white toast smothered with homemade raspberry jam and headed for a 3-hour adventure at the Portland's Museum of Art - or was it the Portland Art Museum?

The day's culinary adventures ended at Hollywood Bowling with the mandatory White Russian and a plate of nachos.

The next morning, with the return of rain (I think the city was mourning our departure), we sipped on a cappuccino and a mocha at Portland's Pearl Bakery cafe.

I got into a heated debate over heating up my chocolate croissant, but the service was refused, and I missed out on warm chocolate, oozing between the thin layers of flaky puffed pastry.

Our adventures of eating ended at a nondescript, perfectly delicious, family-run pho shop with heaping bowls of steaming broth, rice noodles and a few meatballs. We bid farewell to Portland and headed back to Seattle.

And before I tell you all good bye, here is something we did not eat (found in Olympia, the Washington state capital).

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Frozen Lemonade and Vodka Cocktail with Mint

2011-11-22T11:33:00.001-08:00

When I worked at Cuisine at home magazine in Des Moines, Iowa, one of the first recipes I developed was Limoncello Mint Lemonade. The recipe was published in April 2008 on the back page section called Grand Finale. It was the first time I had tasted Limoncello - a delicious Italian lemon liquor, syrupy and bright with lemon.

When developing the recipe, I immediately thought of my favorite drink, the mojito, and decided to reinvent it with Limoncello as the main ingredient. After numerous trials and taste tests (can you believe I got to do that at work and get paid for it?) I came up with a refreshing minty cocktail, sweetened with frozen lemonade and fizzed with club soda.

Fast forward three years. On a cold, dark, rainy Seattle evening, I was on my way to attend a cocktail party. I wanted to remake the Limoncello Mint Lemonade. The only problem was that I did not have Limoncello. Carri, the host of the party, generously offered the use of her vodka and that is how the Frozen Lemonade and Vodka Cocktail with Mint was born.

Frozen Lemonade and Vodka Cocktail with Mint

Ingredients

1 container frozen lemonade (12 ounces)
1 cup mint leaves, tightly packed
Juice of 2 large lemons
1 1/2 cups vodka
Ice Cubes
Lemon-Lime Sparkling Soda (I like Fresca or Squirt)
Mint sprigs for garnish

Directions

1. Combine lemonade, mint and lemon juice in a large pitcher. Using a muddler (or a wooden spoon), bruise the mint leaves to release the aroma, and combine with lemonade and lemon juice. Add vodka to the pitcher and stir to combine.

2. Add ice to a serving glass and top with the lemonade-vodka mixture. Add a splash or two of lemon-lime sparkling soda. Gently stir and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve immediately.

The pitcher of lemonade-vodka mix can serve anywhere from 10-16 drinks, depending on how thirsty you are.

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Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes Get a Makeover

2011-11-17T19:11:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is just a week away. To be honest, Thanksgiving is my favorite culinary holiday (Hanukkah follows closely behind with latkes!). I experienced my first Thanksgiving as a young teenager, when my family moved to the United States. I loved the roasted turkey, despite the fact that my father does not eat the bird. I loved the mashed potatoes, welcoming them to the table welcoming them to the table like an old, familiar friend. I even loved the cranberry sauce that came directly out of the can (forgive me, this was years and years ago before I discovered how easy it is to make your own cranberry sauce).

One thing that puzzled me about Thanksgiving was the Sweet Potato Pie. I didn't get it. Please don't judge, but I grew up without much cinnamon, five spice, and nutmeg. The flavors didn't resonate with me. And so, I unfairly abolished sweet potatoes altogether from my diet.

Then one day, I tasted sweet potatoes on their own. I should have marked that day on the calendar, it was that epic! Since then, I have been enjoying sweet potatoes on a regular basis. One year, when planning the Thanksgiving menu, I thought I should incorporate sweet potatoes in the meal, but do it my way!

Here's the recipe for Thanksgiving Zesty Sweet Potatoes with Jalapeno and Ginger. I add zest and juice of the orange, along with the lime juice to enhance the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. The heat from the jalapeno pepper and spice from fresh ginger counteracts brown sugar and brightens up the dish. Cilantro and scallions contribute flavor, aroma, and color contrast. I welcome you to try this recipe and share it with your family and friends at the Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

6-8 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1" pieces
zest of 2 oranges
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lime
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
2-4 tablespoons light brown sugar
4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated on microplane
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated on microplane
1/2 cup Half and Half, plus extra, as needed
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Season with salt. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat and simmer sweet potatoes until they are completely tender.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together orange zest, juice, lime juice, jalapeno, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and half & half - this is your dressing.

3. Once tender, drain sweet potatoes and mash in a large bowl. Combine the potatoes with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. If you would like a looser consistency, add a little bit more half and half. Gently fold in cilantro and scallions.

4. Serve on a side, garnished with extra cilantro and scallions.

If you have any leftovers the next day, I'd recommend making these potatoes into little cakes by adding an egg and flour and then pan frying the potatoes in vegetable oil.

Please share your favorite non-sweet way to enjoy sweet potatoes!

Check out a few more of my favorite sweet potatoes recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes and Sweet Potatoes with Coriander and Cumin.

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Project "You Buy, I Cook" ~ Salad with Pomegranate and Asian Pear

2011-11-17T09:48:00.001-08:00

A month or so ago I unveiled my new project "You Buy, I Cook." It's pretty simple and rather fantastic, if I say so myself. Here's how it works. You purchase groceries, I cook (you get to cook and learn with me, if you wish), we eat, you do the dishes. Everyone wins.

My first project was with Lera. I came over to make sauteed shiitake mushrooms with lots of fried onions and garlic. We ate the mushrooms on top of mashed potatoes (the potatoes got a healthy doze of sauteed onions and garlic as well). We drank copious amounts of red wine and hung out on the couch. It was too dark to take photos, but trust me, the food was delicious and Lera was happy. Needless to say, there was no help from Lera in the kitchen department, but she is a gem when it comes to cleaning!

The second "You Buy, I Cook" project happened just last week. Priya showed up at my door with a mystery basket of groceries, and in the midst of my lamb project (come back next week to find out about it!), we cooked lunch.

The contents of the mystery basket were quite exciting! By the way, on top of being a fantastic salsa dancer, Priya is a photographer. I decided to let her play with my camera while I was cooking. I'm happy to share some of her photos in this post.

I didn't want to incorporate all the ingredients in one dish. Instead, I made a salad and pasta.

For the salad, I quickly combined garlic, shallot, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and whisked in olive oil. Do you see a piggy whisk? I bet you wish you had one as well! My super fabulous friend Diana gave me the whisk a year ago and I love it!

The dressing came out lovely - thick, creamy, punched with garlic. I drizzled the dressing on top of the assembled salad: mixed greens, pomegranate seeds, slices of Asian pear, and ribbons of cheese.

With the rest of the ingredients, we made pasta. We roasted the bell pepper and asparagus, coated with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. I tucked in a few cloves of garlic along with the vegetables.

While the vegetables were roasting, I cooked the pasta, and Priya chopped up tomatoes. We mixed tomatoes with the leftover mustard vinaigrette and then combined it with the bow tie pasta. We ate the pasta along with roasted vegetables.

I'm ready for my next "You Buy, I Cook." Who shall be my next guest?

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