Who Doesn't Love Strawberry Ice Cream?

We have a full house this summer, with two of my cousins visiting and staying with us. One of my cousins adores strawberry ice cream. I modified a raspberry ice cream recipe to create strawberry ice cream. There really is no comparison to the store-bought variety (as good as Tillamook ice cream is!). The fragrance of strawberries fills the air as you church your ice cream. And every bite is absolutely strawberry-y. None of the fake strawberry powder used here!

Strawberry Ice Cream 
modified from The Perfect Scoop

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups strawberry puree (about 2 lbs fresh strawberries)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Warm whole milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Scrape continuously to prevent sugar from burning. 
2. In a separate bowl, beat together egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks into the saucepan. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coats spatula. 
3. Pour heavy cream into a large bowl and stir the custard into the heavy cream. Mix in the strawberry puree and lemon juice, then cool the bowl over an ice bath. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then churn following the instructions of your ice cream maker. 

Homemade Green Tea Ice Cream

I tried my hand at ice cream making (again) this week for my mom's birthday. I've had my Cuisinart ice cream maker for almost a year now, but I had yet to produce really, really good ice cream that could rival the store-bought variety. The first few times, I was disappointed because my ice cream never quite firmed up and was more of a frozen yogurt consistency.

This time, I pulled out all the stops to achieve really good homemade ice cream (and justify my ice cream maker purchase)! I followed the Green Tea Ice Cream recipe from The Perfect Scoop, which is the most highly reviewed ice cream making book I could find. My freezer bowl was placed in the coldest corner of my freezer for months awaiting the day of its use - this is excessive, but I would highly recommend keeping your freezer bowl in your freezer at all times... because you never know when you may suddenly crave some ice cream! I chilled all of my ingredients, went out and bought whole milk rather than use the 2% variety I had on hand, and dished out for some real green tea powder (available at Uwajimaya). 

The result was stunningly, delicious ice cream than beats out Dreyers, Breyers, Tillamook, and even Haagen-Dazs! Rich, creamy, and full of green tea fragrance in every lick! 

Ice Cream Maker: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-ICE-30BC-Indulgence-2-Quart-Automatic/dp/B0006ONQOC

Ice Cream Making Book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfect-Scoop-Granitas-Accompaniments/dp/158008219X/ref=pd_sim_k_3/185-0027444-8215476

Green Tea Ice Cream (from The Perfect Scoop)

makes about 1 quart

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
4 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder)
6 large egg yolks

Directions:

1. Warm milk, sugar, and salt in medium saucepan. Pour cream into a bowl and whisk in green tea powder, set mesh strainer on top. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Slowly pour warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg mixture back into sauce pan. Stir mixture over medium heat with heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coats the spatula. 
3. Pour custard through strainer and stir into cream, whisk vigorously until custard is frothy to dissolve green tea powder. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
4. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I made these beauties for Ann's bridal shower earlier this month. The cupcakes were an absolute hit! I'm not exaggerating - even those who usually shy away from cupcakes asked for a second helping! I made an assortment of cupcakes from scratch - red velvet, lemon, and cherry almond.

The most versatile and crowd favorite (if pressed to choose) would probably be the red velvet cupcake. This red velvet cupcake is an extremely moist cupcake; I pored over the 700+ reviews on this Allrecipes recipe and incorporated the most common recommendations. Then I made a whipped cream cheese frosting, piped it on top with a fancy frosting tip, and topped with sprinkles! Please don't cut corners and buy the canned frosting... I promise that the attached frosting recipe is easy and tastes much, much better!


Red Velvet Cupcakes (modified from Allrecipes.com)
makes 30 cupcakes

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 ounce red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. 
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, food color, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture until just blended. Do not overbeat! Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin tins, filling each cup about 2/3 full. 
3. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely, then frost with desired frosting. 

Tip: If you're like me, you don't want to go out and buy buttermilk just for this recipe. Make your own! Place 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup, then add milk until the 1/2 cup mark. Let it thicken at room temperature for about 10 minutes prior to using.


Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (from Allrecipes.com)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar (may substitue with 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. For best results, chill bowl and beaters prior to beating whipping cream. In a small bowl, with electric mixer beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. (Test for stiff peaks: stop mixer, lift beaters out of the cream, and peaks should keep their shape or stand pertly.)
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream. Chill in refrigerator until use. 

Tip: If frosting is too soft or runny, may try adding a packet of unflavored gelatin to stiffen the frosting. 

Fit for a Wedding?

My baking MO is definitely cute individual-sized cakes- muffins, cupcakes, mini cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, individual tartlets. An added plus- they're perfect for gift-giving. Although, I basically ate the whole tray of these bomb.com cheesecakes myself!

I embellished the mini cheesecakes by creating two layers- vanilla and chocolate. Not only is the two-tone result gorgeous, the bit of chocolate cheesecake in each bite adds even more decadence!


Mini Black-and-White Cheesecakes (modified from allrecipes.com)
serves 12

1 cup crushed wafer cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. 
2. Combine crushed cookie crumbs and butter, then press a tablespoon into each muffin tin. 
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Then beat in sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Divide cream cheese mixture into 2 equal parts. Melt chocolate chips until smooth, and stir into one part of the cream cheese mixture.
4. Evenly divide regular cream cheese mixture between muffin tins. Then evenly spoon chocolate cream cheese mixture on top. 
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until center of each cheesecake is just wobbly and outside of cheesecake is firm. Remove from oven and cool. Serve chilled with fresh fruit and powder sugar. 

More pictures... drooling may commence! 

Cookie in a Jar

Cranberry Hootycreeks. Where in the world did this name come from?! But it sure makes a pretty, festive gift! I made these layered cookie jars for my girls' group for the holidays!

Cranberry Hootycreeks (allrecipes.com)
makes 1 jar

5/8 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Layer the following ingredients in a 1 quart jar, in the order listed.
2. Attach tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Add the contents of the entire jar, and mix together by hand until well-blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Remove to cool on wire racks. 

Who Needs Pick-Up Lines When You Can Bake

This banana bread recipe gets the title "best banana bread ever" since it's partially responsible for my 3 day weekend! Here's an important life lesson for all you boys and girls- when you need a favor, just remember that no one says no when you combine your request with baked goods!

"Here's a slice of homemade banana bread... and can I get Monday off?" 

"Do you like muffins, because these have your name on them! (Also, hope you mind me taking off early today.)" 

Think of it as a pick-up line, but more effective. 

Banana Oatmeal Bread - modified from allrecipes.com
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3 bananas, mashed

1/4 cup milk

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. 
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars, then beat in eggs and vanilla extract until fluffy; add bananas and milk and mix well. 
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture until just mixed. Do not overmix batter. Fold in walnuts and dried fruit if using. 
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 50-60 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Tackling Cake Pops

Cake pops are like the anti-wallflowers at a party. They are guaranteed to get oohs and ahhs. No one can resist tiny cute balls of cake covered with sugary coating and a variety of toppings. More fluff than substance, cake pops dazzle and awe just like a magician's tricks on stage.

But let me tell you, despite the little actual baking involved, those cake pops are tricky! I ended up making cake truffles (instead of pops) as I had no luck finding lollipop sticks at the grocery store. Cake pop making easily is a two-day affair: mix the cake batter, bake the cake, pulverize the cake (surprisingly therapeutic...), add frosting, form cake balls, melt the sugar coating, then it's the dip-swirl-sprinkle action for the last touch. You can also continue the process by coating the cake balls in crushed nuts, drizzling designs, add cute edible decor, and/or shaping the cake balls into different shapes. Phew! This may be my one-and-only cake pop experience! (Good thing the fad seems to be disappearing... except at bridal showers, baby showers, and girly birthdays.)

Tip: Freeze cake balls prior to dipping in coating. I wish I had known this sooner (I usually am so good at reading reviews prior to making the recipe too!) as my biggest problem was definitely the cake ball falling apart on me or sliding off the toothpick while dipping!

Cake Pops
1 package cake mix (18.25oz)
1 can prepared frosting (16oz)
Melting chocolate (wafers, bark, bar)

1. Prepare cake according to package instructions in any pan size. Once cake is done, crumble cake while warm into large bowl and stir in frosting until well-blended.
2. Melt chocolate in tall, narrow bowl or cup in the microwave. 
3. Form balls out of cake batter using melon baller or small spoon. Freeze cake balls until hardened. Dip balls in melted chocolate using toothpick or lollipop stick. Place balls in paper liners to harden. 

Resuming Where We Left Off

First, I'm not quite sure why I haven't posted in 8 months. Although the timing of the abrupt stoppage was coincidentally around the time when 4th year rotations started. Thinking back, I have been alternating between busy and really really busy ever since rotations began. Work life does suck all the energy outta ya... The last thing I want to do when I finally get home after putting in my 9-10 hours at work is spend more time in the kitchen. 

So, less free time + much less energy = no cooking, and definitely no blogging.

But, I remembered why I started my blog in the first place (outlet source). And right now, I definitely need a distraction and a satisfying project in my life to take my whirling mind off of residency applications. Food + pics always places a warm, fuzzy feeling of accomplishment in me. 

I saw a picture of these individual portions of monkey bread on allrecipes.com (4th or 5th favorit-est website) yesterday. Had all the ingredients. Had a little bit of time. Was and have been craving sweets.  Sooo... I got my lazy butt off of the couch and peeled my eyes away from Big Bang Theory for a moment. Voila! Be warned, these go fast- I can probably eat all 6 in one sitting if I allowed myself!  

Monkey Bread in a Muffin Tin - modified from allrecipes.com 

(makes 6 muffins)

1 12 oz. can biscuit dough

1/4 cup white sugar

1-2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp. butter

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Line 6 muffin tins with paper liners. 
2. Combine white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Cut each biscuit into quarters, and thoroughly coat each piece of dough in cinnamon-sugar mixture. (Alternately, you can place the cinnamon-sugar in a large ziplock bag, add biscuit dough pieces, then shake to coat.) Place 6-7 pieces of dough in each muffin tin. 
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Bring to a bubbling simmer, stirring constantly, and heat until sugar is dissolved. Spoon mixture evenly over each muffin tin. 
4. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until biscuit dough is lightly springy. 

Banana Crumb Muffins

I whipped up a batch of these banana muffins in under an hour when hanging out with a friend last week.  It's a fast, easy, high-reward recipe. Not only do they taste delicious, but also the smell of fresh muffins wafting out of the oven is better than any store-bought home fragrance! I wrap these up individually in plastic wrap, and grab-and-go as I rush out the door in the mornings, so they can be a perfect morning breakfast for those of us who aren't morning persons.

A few modifications on my part: I don't typically worry too much about fat or caloric content in my baking, but I followed a couple of the tips from other reviewers of this recipe. The healthy additions certainly do not detract from the recipe! Butter (in the batter) can be substituted with vegetable/canola oil or applesauce. Also, I try to use a combination of brown and white sugar instead of all white sugar in the batter.

Banana Crumb Muffins
modified from Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 c. melted butter or canola oil

1/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin tins or line with muffin liners. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, egg, and 1/3 cup butter (or canola oil). Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 
3. In a small bowl, mixture together remaining brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter. Stir until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. 
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

bon appetit! 

Shortbread Thumbprints

I was searching for my thumbprint cookie recipe on my blog today and came up empty. I can't believe I haven't posted about one of my absolute favorite cookies yet! This cookie is a combination of almond shortbread full of buttery richness plus a bit of sweet fruit jam in the center. They're easy to make and makes the whole house smell wonderful (thanks to the almond extract!). 

This recipe is delicious as is! The only modification I make is to increase the almond extract in the cookie dough to 1 full teaspoonful. Also, when I get lazy I omit making the drizzle and eating the cookies straight out of the oven. 

A few tricks to this cookie: 

• Don't skip out on the almond extract! Substituting vanilla extract for the almond just isn't the same.
• To make perfect circular indentations in each cookie, try using the end of a chapstick tube. Wrap the chapstick tube in plastic wrap and make holes in the center of each cookie! 
• Freeze or refrigerate the cookies prior to making for 10 minutes or so, so the cookie will not spread out or flatten too much in the oven. 
• Spoon the jam or preserves into a small ziplock back, cut off the corner of the bag, and squeeze the jam into the cookie indentations for less mess. 

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

1 cup butter, softened but not melted

2/3 cup white sugar

1 tsp. almond extract

2 cups flour

1/2 cup seedless jam (any flavor you like!)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in 1 tsp. almond extract and flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into small balls (about 1 inch) and place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Separate cookies about 2 inches apart. Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie and fill holes with jam. 
3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned. Remove cookies from oven and cool.
4. In medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over cooled cookies.

molten chocolate lava cakes

I was on total chocolate craze last month. Hmm... it aligned perfectly with exam schedules, coincidence? Then as if it was meant to be, I discovered this chocolate lava cake recipe from foodwishes.blogspot.com. As if the universe was telling me to eat more chocolate! For those who have never had molten chocolate lava cakes, you have been missing out! The recipe utilized ingredients I already had and consisted only of 3 steps! Easy and delicious! You can be having your own chocolate lava cakes in a short 60 minutes! What are you waiting for? :)

As an aside, I love foodwishes.blogspot.com! The blogger makes video recipes, so you can see every step in action. It's perfect for those of us who don't quite know what "stiff peaks" or "curdled mixture" looks like.

So far, I have baked this cake 3 times. The first time it was absolute perfection, with the gooey chocolate-y inside. However, the second time, I was impatient and under-baked the cake; needless to say, it completely collapsed once I slid it out of the ramekin. Ben ate the molten chocolate all the same, when do you pass on molten warm gooey chocolate?! And the third time, I used metal muffin tins rather than ramekins and the cakes turned out overbaked. I guess I'm still working on my timing. Ideally, the cakes are done when the center of each cake is a bit jiggly, indicating the creamy, not-completely-baked insides. So, take the listed baking time as a suggestion... baking times can vary depending on your oven and the type of baking pan you used (metal or ceramic).

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
5 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. sugar
3.5 oz. dark chocolate
3 tbsp. flour
4 tsp. cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Butter 4 small ramekins, and set aside. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until mixture is light and foamy. 
2. Melt dark chocolate and butter in microwave until just melted (20-30 seconds). Stir chocolate into egg mixture. Sift cocoa powder, flour, and salt into mixture. Fill ramekins with mixture. 
3. Cover ramekins with ceramic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
4. Place ramekins in deep baking dish, and fill baking dish halfway with hot water. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven, run a knife along outside of the cake to detach cake from ramekin, and turn upside down to remove cake from ramekins. Dust with powder sugar prior to serving. 

Loving myself some chocolate! 

It's A Cream Puff Day

Oh, cream puffs! How I adore you. Especially after I realized that I can make and eat a dozen without having to break the bank at Beard Papa's!

The Beaverton Uwajimaya recently opened a new Beard Papa's (first in Oregon, I believe). Of course, I had to try them! Unfortunately, this brand-new Beard Papa's was still working out some chinks and the service was a bit haphazard. For example, the girl making the cream puffs for the customers in front of me was quite generous with the cream; but when my turn came, a different girl took over and she was more efficient, but less crowd-pleasing. The joy of enjoying my cream puff was a bit diminished when my cream puff was only half-filled.

Of course always looking for a silver lining, the affront to my cream puff inspired me to try my hand at making my own. A quick Allrecipes search landed a seemingly easy cream puff recipe. Yet, when I read the reviews, I became fearful of deflating cream puffs (a common problem with the recipe apparently). I read a few more articles and watched a video on making cream puffs before setting out.

The result? Beautiful, decadent cream puffs! I fear for my waistline... now that I have easy access to cream puff-ery! The vanilla pudding cream makes the cream puff recipe really easy, but the taste is not quite Beard Papa's worthy. Maybe it's because I substituted milk for the heavy cream. Next time, I will try filling up the cream puff shells with a pastry cream recipe (used in making fruit tarts) for additional indulgence.

Cream Puffs 
--modified from Allrecipes.com--

2 (3.5oz) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Directions:

1. Whisk together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream, and milk in large bowl for about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture into a gallon-size ziplock bag. Refrigerate to set.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. In a saucepan, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Using an electric mixture, beat in eggs one at a time. Beat until dough is tacky and elastic. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. 
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Turn off oven and use a toothpick to poke a hole in each cream puff. Leave cream puff shells in oven for additional 5 minutes to prevent deflating. 
5. Remove cream puff shells from oven and let cool. Snip a small corner in ziplock bag containing pudding mixture and then fill each cream puff shell with pudding mixture. 

Some additional tips: 

• Use any pudding flavor you want. Next time, I will try chocolate! Experiment :).
• The dough was very very sticky! I got really messy and dough was everywhere! Next time, I might scoop all the dough into a large ziplock bag, cut a corner of the bag, and pipe the dough onto the baking sheets. 
• Use a ziplock bag (or pastry bag if you have one) to squeeze in cream filling into each cream puff.

Dropping batter by 2 tablespoonfuls!
I like my cream puffs big!

Cream Cheese Frosting (with Red Velvet Cupcakes)

One thing that you should know about me is that I'm a hoarder. Yep, my pantry and fridge and freezer are stocked full at all times. I dislike throwing away food, so I'll refrigerate or freeze food as long as I can. Hoarding isn't as great as it sound... When it comes around to spring cleaning, I always end up throwing away lots of freezer-burned mystery meat or expired cans.

One hoarded item was a box of red velvet cupcake mix. I probably should have made the cupcakes when I first received the mix (as a birthday gift) a few years back... But I wanted to save it for a "special" occasion; when the opportunity and the time never coincided, the mix got shoved to the back of my pantry. I found this a few weeks back, aaaand, well, cake mix can't really go bad, right? I finally made these Sprinkles (think it's a famous cupcake shop?) Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, and they still tasted pretty darn good. Bomb-dot-com good!

The cincher was the cream cheese frosting. The instructions for cream cheese frosting that came along with the mix is a definite keeper. Not too sweet with enough cream cheese flavor that shines through. One problem I had was that my frosting was too runny even after adding the required amount of powdered sugar. The solution? More powder sugar! I added 1/4 cup more powder sugar at a time, beating well after each addition. Also, I tasted the frosting (yummy!) after each addition, in order to avoid overly sweet frosting. I was trying achieve the perfect nirvana in terms of frosting: a stiffer frosting that also isn't sickeningly sweet. The original recipe is below, add more powder sugar at your pleasure!


Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz cold cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, firm but not cold
1/8 tsp. salt
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 to 3 minutes).
2. Reduce speed to low, and gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Add vanillla.
3. If frosting is too thick: add milk 1 tsp. at a time until frosting is at a spreadable consistency.
4. If frosting is too thin: add additional powder sugar 1/4 cup at a time until frosting is at spreadable consistency.

Diuretic Muffins?!

Mini Muffins

Full-Size

These no-butter and high-fiber muffins are so delicious! I was skeptical that anything this healthy could taste good, but I was definitely proven wrong. This is a pastry you can feel good eating in the morning (without that guilty dessert-for-breakfast mindset)! The truly high fiber content made me nickname these "diuretic muffins," as I passed them out to my pharmacy school classmates!

I always add more banana to my banana breads, so the banana content in the recipe is bumped up from the original "1 cup mashed banana" to 1 1/2 cups. Also, you can replace the vegetable oil with applesauce for even more wholesome-ness. 

The recipe says it makes 12 large muffins; however, I managed to get 12 large muffins and 12 mini muffins out of this recipe. Make sure you grease the muffin tins if you're not using paper baking cups! You don't want to have your muffins stuck in the pans.

I also learned the difference between "rolled oats" and "quick oats" after a little bit of Googling. Apparently, the two are interchangeable in most recipes. Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, are oat grains rolled flat and dried. Quick oats are a bit more processed, since they are rolled thinner than old-fashioned oats. In terms of cooking or baking, rolled oats give a more chewy texture, while the quick oats, since they absorb water more quickly, provide a smoother texture. There are also "instant oats" and "steel-cut oats". These CANNOT be substituted for the first two (rolled oats and quick oats). Steel-cut oats are the least processed and retain the oat shape, giving a chewier, nuttier taste. Instant oats are the thinnest rolled oats and give a mushy texture. 

Banana Oat Muffins

modified from Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup rolled oats (I substituted with quick oats with great results)

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil (or applesauce)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup mashed bananas

Almond slices, garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat egg lightly. Stir in milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed bananas, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. (Note: over-stirring creates a chewy rather than light muffin texture.) 
4. Line muffin tins with paper bake cups or grease muffin tins. Fill batter almost to the brim of the muffin tins. Sprinkle almond slices on top of batter, if using. 
5. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Green Bean Soup

For Chinese New Year's, I celebrated with hot pot and traditional green bean soup. "Soup" is a bit of a misnomer, since it's actually a sweet, dessert dish. The color of the soup may also surprise you, since it's more yellow than green (depends on type of bean used). This is a delicious soup that satisfies whether served hot or chilled.

When I asked my mom for the "recipe," what I got was basically this:

1. Boil the mung bean and tapioca separately, then combine in a large pot.
2. Add sugar (brown, white, or cane- it's really all up to you) to taste.

Below is the process I used and pictures of the ingredients I used. The mung bean and tapioca is easily obtained at any Asian store (such as Ranch 99). Be warned- as with many Chinese recipes, there are no hard and fast rules. The recipe is based on what worked for me. The measurements for amount of water, sugar, dried mung bean and tapioca are all estimates. Watch the tapioca while cooking it! I burnt it the first time, because I wasn't paying attention to the pot and it was cooking on high heat. Cleaning that mess was a pain!

Peeled Split Mung Bean

Mini Tapioca Pearls

Sugar

Green Bean Soup
(serves 12)

7 ounces of dried peeled split mung bean (about half the bag)
1 1/2 sticks brown sugar cane (all I had on hand)
White sugar, to taste

3/4 cup tapioca

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain mung bean in cold water several times. Place mung bean in a large 5 quart pot with about 16 cups water. Cover and cook at medium heat until boiling. Decrease heat, and continue simmering for 15 additional minutes. Periodically, remove bubble residue at surface of soup. Add brown sugar cane. Remove from heat. 
2. Place tapioca and enough water to cover tapioca in small saucepan. Cook on low heat while stirring periodically to prevent burning. When tapioca is no longer opaque, remove from heat. Add the cooked tapioca pearls to green bean soup. 
3. Add white sugar to taste. 

Autumn Cheesecake

This is an "evolved" cheesecake, a cheesecake with sophistication and all the bells and whistles, perfect when you want something different from the classic cheesecake. I love the apple topping! It lulls me into thinking, "Perhaps this is a fruit?" How can anything with apple be anything less than healthy and fresh? :)

A few tips from other reviews on this cheesecake include making a crumb topping over the cheesecake with handful of brown sugar, handful of flour, and cutting in butter chunks. Also, bake the cheesecake in a water bath to allow for even cooking and cool the cheesecake in the oven with the oven door open for 45 minutes to an hour to prevent cracking.

Autumn Cheesecake
modified from Allrecipes.com

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 tbsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups thinly sliced apples
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 3 tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Pour mixture onto prepared crust.
3. Microwave apple slices for a 2 minutes until softened. Stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, then toss mixture with apples to coat. Layer apple slices over cream cheese filling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped pecans over cheesecake.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes. With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool before removing the rim of pan. Chill cake in refrigerator before serving.

My Favorite Season is Autumn

Autumn is lovely. As fun and sunny as summer may be, autumn brings back scarves and boots, bright pumpkins, falling red and yellow leaves. Also, some of my favorite foods are back: pumpkin pie, warm soups and stews, and hot pot! More serious and studious, fall marks the fresh start of a new school year. I especially adore walking on campus on a crisp autumn day with blue skies overhead while bundled up in cold weather gear.

This past week, I was inspired to bake a homemade apple pie. Paired with teriyaki chicken and coconut curry, I was prepared with feed (and nurture) a few friends that I had invited over for dinner. This apple pie recipe was actually picked up from a baking class I had taken during undergrad (via the Experimental College). Taught by a local baker, I was introduced to a simple no-fuss apple pie that did not require cinnamon (I am not a fan of overpowering cinnamon apple pies) and peeling apples. His logic made perfect sense- why overpower an apple pie with strong cinnamon flavoring and why lose the beauty of colorful apple peels? The other differences were the use of potato starch (less gooey than the typical store-bought apple pies) and dried cranberries (adds more color and complements the apples).

Making a homemade crust takes more time, but it makes a difference! Homemade crust is flakier, richer, chewier than store-bought ones. If you have a food processor (on my wish list!), make your own crust by all means! Just toss all the ingredients into the food processor, give it a whirl, and you'll have perfect pie crust.


Butter Crust (in comparison to a crust made with lard as the fat of choice)

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. ice water, or more if necessary
1 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add pieces of butter, then process (either in a food processor or by hand using a pastry knife) until mixture is crumbly. Add ice water, and then process until dough just holds together without being wet or sticky. (Test by squeezing dough, if it holds together it is done.) If dough is too dry and crumbly, add more ice water. 
2. Turn 1/2 of dough mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold ends of plastic wrap over dough, forming dough into a flat disk. Wrap completely in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Repeat with other half of dough mixture. 
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch and 2 inches wider than pie plate. Fold rolled out pastry into quarters, pick up and place in pie dish, unfold pastry, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim edge with scissors, so it is even. Crimp, if desired.
4. Roll out second disk of dough in the same way as the first, and use as the top layer in a double layer pie.

Homemade Apple Pie

5 c. sliced fresh apples, cored and leaving skins on

1 tsp. lemon zest

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. potato starch

1/2 c. craisins, rehydrated in microwave with 1/4 c. rum (or brandy or water) for 35 seconds

1 egg, beaten with 1/4 c. water (egg wash)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare pie crusts. Mix apples, lemon zest, sugar, potato starch, and rehydrated craisins together. Fill prepared pie dish. 
3. Cover apple mixture with top crust, trim excess dough from edges, seal edge (with water if necessary) and flute edge of pie crust. Add slits to top crust. Brush egg wash on edges of pie and top crust. 
4. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until crust is slightly browned. 

Maryland Kids and Blueberry Coffee Cake

Action-packed weekend with the Maryland kids just ended... and left me all by myself at home feeling a bit lonely. After hours of hanging out and having people all around me, being alone is startling. The abrupt change of pace from rowdiness to quietness can be jarring.

Yet, time alone is so scarce now in the summer that I need to treasure every minute of it. Being home by myself is time to recollect my thoughts, tackle my ever-growing To Do list, blog and bake, read up on articles for work.

I had a mini-panic moment this week as I realized that my Honduras trip is in 2 weeks! I feel utterly inadequate and woefully under-prepared for my adventure (of a lifetime?). I still need vaccinations (tomorrow), pack up all the medications I'm bringing (next weekend), figure out what to pack, brush up on my conversational Spanish (hopeless), and mentally prepare myself as I take a very large step outside my comfort zone.

So in the midst of the busy-ness, I managed to produce a Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake complete with a crumb topping. This cake was a three day process, not by choice!

1. Thursday night- I got a craving to bake. I decided upon a coffee cake, because it's easy, quick, and delicious. I was planning on bringing the cake to work the next day. As I creamed together the butter and sugar (first step), I was horrified to discover I had no eggs in the house! With dejection, I placed the butter/sugar mixture into the fridge to finish another day.
2. Saturday afternoon- I lined up all the ingredients I needed for my coffee cake (not wanting to repeat the fiasco from Thursday). Flour, salt, vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream- all check. Wait... where's my baking powder?! I ran to the Grocery Outlet down the street, but to no avail. Grocery Outlet didn't have the one ingredient I needed in stock! Low on time and in frustration, I placed all the ingredients back and hoped that the butter/sugar mixture would last another day in the refrigerator.
3. Sunday evening- Third time was the charm! All necessary ingredients? Check. Ample time to bake? Check. Successful and delicious cake? Check! 

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake (modified from Allrecipes)

3/4 c. butter, softened

2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 c. sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

2 c. blueberries (frozen or fresh)

1/3 c. flour

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan or springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together 3/4 c. butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then, stir in sour cream and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in blueberries. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Prepare crumb topping: In medium bowl, mix together 1/3 c. flour, brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over batter. 
4. Bake until done, when toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Baking time varries depending on the size of pan. For a 10-inch diameter springform pan, I baked the cake for about 1 hour. For a 9x13 pan, baking time will be closer to 35-40 minutes.

Lemon Pound Cake

Lemon Pound Cake Specs:

• Solid, dense cake with total weight over 1 pound
• Made in a bundt pan
• Requires 5 eggs and 2 sticks of butter
• For extra lemony-ness: baste with lemon syrup and drizzle lemon glaze
• Serve with fresh sliced strawberries and a dollop of homemade whipped cream = heavenly

**Jump to Lemon Pound Cake recipe**

Raspberry Meringue Bars

Raspberry Meringue Bars

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

7 oz. almond paste

1/2 tsp. almond extract

2 cups flour

1 cup red raspberry jam (seedless preferred)

3 egg whites

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup coconut flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 pan with greased aluminum foil.
2. Crust: Mix together butter, brown sugar, and almond paste. Beat in 1 egg and almond extract. Stir in flour until well-blended. Press dough into prepared baking pan. 
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is slightly golden and browned on the edges. Remove from oven, and cool slightly. 
4. Spread raspberry jam over crust. 
5. Meringue: In a large metal/glass bowl, beat together 3 egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat in white sugar until peaks become stiff and glossy. Spread meringue over jam. Lastly, sprinkle coconut flakes on top. 
6. Return pan to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until firm. Cool, then cut into bars. 

It was my first time attempting meringue (description: sweet, sticky, marshmallow-like), and it actually succeeded. I actually saw "soft peaks" and "stiff, glossy peaks." Basically, you just have to beat the egg whites to death. Set your mixer on high speed and just keep beating! Time reference: I stood there holding the mixer (too lazy to pull out the Kitchenaid, but probably would be a good idea next time) for at least 3-5 minutes for "soft peaks", and then a few more minutes while beating in the sugar. Also, I heard that it is essential that you make sure the bowl and mixer are dry (no water droplets), and the egg whites do not have any egg yolk. 

Also, I did not use the crust recipe suggested, since I had extra tart dough in my fridge. I had made tarts the night before, and I cringe at throwing away perfectly good leftover dough. Also perfect was that I had exactly 3 egg whites leftover too! The pastry cream that complemented my tart required 3 egg yolks, and the meringue requires 3 egg whites! I think this just may be a dream dessert coupling in the future... tart one day, and meringue bars the next! However, I am sure the almond crust recipe suggested is also delicious (if you can find almond paste...)! I love almond-anything... so I will try it next time!

Best part about baking is sharing!