Cranberry Orange Sour Cream Crumb Muffins: Learning my way around a car

For Brother #2

I'm not comfortable around cars.  Let me clarify.  I'm very comfortable driving them, putting the kids in them, and getting from place to place, but ask me to do things to them from a mechanical standpoint and I begin to freak out a little. But I'm getting better. I've learned how to jump start a car because there was a period where the car wouldn't start every single morning UNLESS it was jumped and I've learned how to turn down the dealer's "recommended" service add-ons by saying "NO, I don't need them."  But even with all of that, I still get nervous at times.

Fortunately for me, I have Brother #2, who is a bonafide car expert.  He doesn't work with them, fix them, or sell them, but he understands them and knows how to prevent one from getting ripped off.  He is the person I turn to and he is the one who teaches me what I need to do for my car.  My most recent conversation with him had to do with the state of my tires, which were sadly BALD.  I avoided dealing with them, mostly because I was freaked out about all the logistics, but once again, Brother #2 came to my assistance.  He called me and told me to get tires from here.

www.tirerack.com

He helped me choose the correct tire for what I needed and then advised me to have them sent directly to an authorized tire installer.  And the whole thing took 5 minutes online.  Then today, I called my authorized dealer to confirm that my tires had arrived, and they said yes.  I showed up at 1:00 PM to get the tires installed and by 2:00 PM I was on my way, on brand new unbald tires.  And it felt great.  And I took care of it mostly on my own.  It made me feel powerful, liberated and able to handle the next round of bald tires on my car.  I will not need Brother #2 for the next time my tires are bald, but I'm sure something else car related will come eventually and I'll turn to him for a bit more learning.

Cooking is like that.  It can be liberating, and empowering and wonderful when you understand and know how to do something in the kitchen.  Not knowing, being unsure and and uncomfortable can stymie one in the kitchen.  I want to break that.   I want people to take a moment, learn a bit about the cooking and overcome those very same trepidations and fears that I have about cars.  A little knowledge, and little learning, and a little effort can produce something really wonderful and delicious and it will make you feel powerful, liberated and wonderful.

These muffins - they aren't the simplest thing to turn out (two step process with a crumb topping and a muffins batter) but they DO taste so good that the little extra effort and stress you spend tinkering around the kitchen will make them well worth your time.  They are moist, tangy sweet and a great way to use up those leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving.  (Mine, ahem, are leftover cranberries from LAST Thanksgiving and have been sitting in my freezer driving me nuts.)  Daughters #1 and #2 gobbled them up and begged to have more and more and more and more...Son unfortunately was hands off due to all the fantastically delicious dairy inside, but was satisfied with a bowl of kimchee fried rice for breakfast instead.

Sour Cream Orange Cranberry Crumb Muffins
(adapted from Tish Boyle's The Cake Book)
Makes 15 muffins

Crumb Topping
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until well blended. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork, stirring until the butter is absorbed and the dry ingredients are uniformly moistened. Set aside.

Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or un-thawed frozen cranberries, chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Grated zest of 1 orange

Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of 9 inch square or round pan OR line muffin tins with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Add cranberries and toss.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and granulated sugar and medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at time, beating well after each addition and scarping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add sour cream and beat in. Mix in orange zest and vanilla.

Remove bowl from mixer, and carefully fold in cranberry flour mixture. Mix, using a light hand until just blended.

Scrape batter into prepared pan or muffin tins. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the batter, breaking up any large lumps with your fingers.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes for muffins. Place muffins in the pan on a wire rack and let cool. Serve.

Printable recipe

With a little practice, making these will be easier than getting new tires on your car.

Red White and Green Dinner Menu: Good Food with Friends

Husband and I decided that we wanted to have a tiny gathering of our closest friends at our house on Christmas Eve.  The plan is to gather, have our kids exchange gifts and then head out over to one of the local neighborhoods to check out fantastic lights.  (you can find lights in your Bay Area Neighborhood here...)  We want an intimate gathering just to relax and bask in the warmth of the season and amazing friendships.

For the menu, I decided on something fun.  Husband did make known his wishes (piles and piles of pasta) and I decided it'd be fun to go with a red, white and green theme.  Way back in my twenties I hosted such a party and I thought it'd be fun to do again.  All foods hit the colors of red white and green.

This is what we're eating with our friends.  Nothing too fussy but just lovely to enjoy together. 






Red White and Green Menu

Pancetta Crisps topped with red-skinned apples (red white and green : ) )
Salad with Cranberries, Pecans, and Blue Cheese

Pasta alla Norma
Angel Hair Pasta with Chili, Lemon and Arugula
Sausages with Peppers and Onions

Shortbread topped with Cranberries
Everything Cookie (because it has a bit of red in it)

Pan Fried Fish with Crispy Breadcrumbs: I should have been a fish, but I don't really like to eat them

** please excuse this less than stellar picture - I am still not used to my camera flash.

I enjoy physical exercise.  I try and do some sort of strenuous exercise every day if possible, wheather it be running, biking, yoga, ellipitical, or weights.  I am, however, not atheltic by any stretch of the imagination.  I can't throw a ball (golf, tennis, football or other) and if you actually ask me to do something like hit a ball with a long stick (golf) I will attempt to do it in one of the more amusing shows possible.  In stark contrast to my non-athleticism is Husband who plays tennis and volleyball, taught himself how to golf and can seemingly pick up any sport with little effort.  It disgruntles me.

However, there is one physical activity where I can outdo Husband by a long shot and that is swimming.  If husband and I go head to head in a race, I can usually beat him by at least a full body length.  Whatever awkwardness and lack of coordination I have on land, disappears in the water.  I swim with grace and ease.  Even Parents, who aren't ones to throw away a compliment (EVER) watched me swim recently and separately commented that my form and movement in the water was great.  I personally love the sensation of cutting through the water with my arms and shooting forward.  There is such peace and tranquility in the activity that I willingly shove whatever unattractive bits of my body I can into a bathing suit and leave exposed the other unattractive bits, just so I can swim. 

So you'd think that someone who loved the water as much as I do would naturally love fish...and it's a not so much situation.  Son, Daughters, Husband all LOVE it and I'm sort of in the "I'll tolerate it" camp.  But I do know that Son and Daughters love it so I try and prepare it for them weekly.

This is a creation that I came upon by chance because I had some random fish in the freezer that I wanted to use up.  I went with the simplest application, keeping in mind Son's restrictions and came up with this dish.  It is simple, delicious and really easy to make.  The preparation time is nearly zero and all it requires is a bit of skill handling a hot fry pan.  The breadcrumbs are optional but are a really nice crispy counterpoint and Daughters loved them while Son preferred the plain pan fried fish.  If dairy is not an issue in your family, you can also substitute a bit of butter for the oil for extra richness.

Pan-Fried Fish with Crispy Breadcrumbs
Serves 4


Crispy Breadcrumbs
1 cup bread crumbs (panko preferred, but regular is fine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Over medium heat, fry pan and then add oil and breadcrumbs. Toss and toast until breadcrumbs are golden brown, 3-4 minutes.

Fish
1 lb fish fillets (roughy, orange roughy, tilapia, cod, black cod)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Carefully pat dry fish and soak up any additional moisture between paper towels. Season each side of the fish with a bit of salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow plate and carefully dredge each fillet, knocking off any excess flour.

Heat fry pan over medium high heat and add olive oil. Carefully place fish onto fry pan. There should be a really nice sizzle. Cook fish for about 3 minutes, each side, until golden brown.

Remove fish and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve with lemon wedges.

Printable recipe

My Christmas Day Menu: Sweetness of the day

My biggest Christmas present this year will be the return of Husband.  Husband has been away for more than three months and he returns to us on Christmas Eve.  The anticipation of having him home beats out any food I'm going to make for sure, but I still want to cook a lovely meal for our family.   I asked him to choose whatever he wanted to eat for dinner, and he bellowed into the phone, "PRIME RIB and SCALLOPED POTATOES."  It's fine with me because I really wasn't planning on cooking something else, but it is nice to know that what HE wants aligns with what I want to make.  It's a win-win situation.  I like a slower meal on Christmas, and less intense cooking so whatever I can prepare the night before I will and make the day of just more fun spending time with the family.  YAY!!!

Appetizer
Hot Artichoke Dip served with carrots and crackers (Prepare day before)
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail  (cook day before, cool and then chill.)
Pancetta Crisps topped with Goat Cheese and Persimmons
 
Main
Horseradish Garlic Crusted Prime Rib

Sides
Scalloped Potatoes and Korean Roasted Potatoes (for son who can't have scalloped)
Sweet Potato Casserole with Caramelized Apples and Pears (normally I wouldn't do this AND scalloped potatoes, except Sister in Law LOVES this thing)
Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

Dessert
Cream Puffs (recipe is not on the blog yet, but hopefully will be after this post)
Velvet Cupcakes  (make day before)

 

Gifts for Giving: The joy of giving is in the enjoyment.

I've always been proud of my cookies.  After all people have told me repeatedly how good they are, what a good baker I am and have inflated my ego in such a way.  My confidence in my baking is probably what makes me try and make homemade gifts when I have the chance.

Even while living in Hong Kong and Korea I kept up baking.  Ovens in kitchens are NOT standard for most apartments, so when Husband started looking for places, I insisted on an oven.  It narrowed down our choices quite a bit because if there was no oven, it was a no go.  In both countries Husband searched until he found the apartment that met our requirements,  including the oven.  It meant I could keep up baking despite our far off locale.  I was able to source many ingredients in both countries (even though they were MUCH more expensive) and what I couldn't source, Sister-in-law or other visitors would bring me, things like chocolate chips, toffee chips, and vanilla extract which were three of the harder items to find.

Which meant baking was pretty precious.  I baked with the idea that I was offering something really special to the recipient.  Husband wouldn't even let me bake often for his office mates because he said it "spoiled" them for regular baked goods and that I shouldn't waste such precious gifts on them.  (I still baked for them; Husband grudgingly took them to work where there were always received with such gratitude).  One day Husband was invited to a office party at someone's home and we were to go.  Already I freaked out because I don't like meeting people (read about that here) and I couldn't think of a hostess present to bring.  Husband then said that perhaps bringing some of my homemade cookies, beautifully wrapped would be a nice gift.  I thought about it and agreed that some of my amazing cookies, perfect with their imported chocolate chips and vanilla would be a lovely hostess present.  I even had special bakery boxes that I could put them in, tie with ribbon and present to the hostess.

With plenty of trepidation and worry, we all set off to the house of this office party.  Upon our arrival, I handed the boxes to the hostess who took them with a smile and whisked them away to the kitchen.  She then invited us to sit in the living room with the other guests and I started panicking as it's my least favorite setting to be with new people...intimate in a living room.  EEEEK!  I excused myself as gracefully as I could so that I could go the kitchen and feed Daughter #1, who was still a baby at the time.  (maybe 7 months old.)  I went to the kitchen where the hostess had hired a chef and a helper to cook all the food for the dinner.  She gave them brief instructions and walked out of the kitchen leaving me there alone with Daughter and the two chefs.  In the corner I saw the two boxes of cookies I had painstakingly made and packaged and I assumed that later, for dessert, these cookies would be put out.  As I finished feeding Daughter #1, the chef and her assistant began preparing to leave.  The hostess came back into the kitchen and proceeded to give away the cookies that I had made to these two women.  I saw her pick up the two white boxes and give one to each of them telling them to take them home.

She probably didn't know that I had made them homemade.  She maybe didn't want her husband to eat them.  Perhaps because I wasn't a famous blogger back then, she didn't really know what they were worth.  But yes she gave away those precious cookies.  And my appetite to eat anything completely left me and I spent the rest of the evening talking to the two daughters of the house and not the hostess at all.  I was too hurt.

It was over five years ago this happened and I have to look back and laugh at my dismay.  It was an ego buster for sure - to have something that I considered one of my best gifts completely unappreciated and thrown away.  It was a reality check for me as well, because it made me realize, that as much as I enjoy the baking and the giving of homemade goods, I really enjoy the thought of how the person who receives the gift is going to react, appreciate and enjoy my hard work.  The thinking and the time invested in preparing a homemade gifts pushes that emotion a bit further than just buying a present.  I bake with the recipients in mind, thinking of their enjoyment and that is what makes me happy.

But I also learned a bit of a lesson.   I have to appreciate the fact that SOMETIMES what I make may not be appreciated.  I have to live with that.  And that's okay.  For every ten people for whom I bake, there may be two or three that don't like it or enjoy it.  However, I let that not stop me every season from putting together different packages and boxes of baked goods to do.

This year, my schedule was much busier due to my work so I decided to go more simply and do things that I could do more quickly and easily.  I made the decision to pair two salty sweet treats as they are my favorite and I know that many really enjoy it. Pecan Rolo Pretzels and Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

I used these biopak #4 boxes which I picked up at Smart and Final.  (About $16 for 40 boxes - these are deep because I like to sometimes pack cupcakes in them).   I tucked a note like this in them.  (It's a little pun for fun, although I don't know if anyone got it.)

Tucked the note inside the box and then tied it with ribbon.

Now, just for the record, I am not a crafty person.  I like wrapping to be beautiful but simple and not involving anything that could possibly make me do too many cuts or something.   And I like wrapping ideas that use up what I have available and doesn't require me to buy it.  This is how I wrapped cookies for the church event I had this evening.  Take a scrap piece of wrapping paper long enough to wrap around the box and then tape it around making a little seal on the package. 

If you have different wrapping paper scraps, you can do a set of these.

Here are some other ideas for great food as gifts items.
Pecan Rolo Pretzels (also can be done with almonds or walnuts as well)
Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
Oatmeal Toffee Cookies with Cranberries
Sweet and Spicy Candied Nuts

Christmas Wish List: If I had room in my kitchen, if I had unlimited money, if I had a huge house to decorate

On my wedding registry, I asked for a lot of nice kitchen stuff.  I have an excellent stand mixer, a large food processor, a panini maker, a toaster oven, all-clad pots and pans, and tons of fun gadgets that I think make my life better.  I would still cook and tackle all the kitchen duties without said gadgets and equipment, but a lot of the equipment and tools make it much more fun...and some of them make it easier.  Here is a list of some "nice to have" things that perhaps you want to gift to yourself or to others during this holiday season.

Fun Wish List

Slow cooker - I have been borrowing this one from girlfriend in order to have on hand for a few events...and I really really like it.  For some reason on amazon it got a really varied series of reviews, but on cooking.com it got excellent reviews...I'm thinking of getting one myself.  HUSBAND....if you read this, I like THIS!



Stemless Wine Glasses - if you come to my house and open a bottle of wine, I am most likely to serve it to you in either a coffee mug or a whiskey glass.  I have stemmed wine glasses (very nice ones) but I do not use them because of my incredible sense of how to shatter them.  I've cracked more than a few and have basically decapitated a couple more (taking the glass clear off of the stem) and so for my personal safety and the safety of others I don't bust them out.  Most recently at a dinner party, when one of my guests asked for a glass of wine, I offered him a coffee mug and he looked at me like I was crazy.  I had to go back and offer it to him in a whiskey glass and as I poured it I saw him walking away shaking his head.  I'm definitely going to get myself a set of these in the near immediate future - if only to prevent people from looking at me like I'm insane.


Stand Mixer - I've had one for almost 15 years and I love it still.  It works great and although I've considered upgrading to one with a bigger bowl, bigger motor and flashier color (why do I sound like I'm talking about a car?) I've kept mine because it is such a great work horse.


























Hand Mixer - if you don't have a ton of room, don't bake all that much and have no place to store a stand mixer, a hand mixer does the job just as well, as long as you put in a bit of your own elbow grease in there.  This one is a sassy red and I can't say no to sassy red.  It's 7 speed and beautiful.  (hmm...sounds like I'm talking about a car again.)












Hand Blender - I made soup for the dinner party today and one girlfriend commented on how she wanted a hand blender so that she could make the soup.  (Thai Carrot Soup).  This particular model boasts one of the more powerful motors out there and also comes in a sassy red color (but it is more money than the white and it doesn't blend any better.)


Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls - there is nothing like a great set of mixing bowls to make you feel like a pro-chef.  I've had this set for 10 years and I still whip them out dail, and they still look amazing.  They are the perfect sizes, perfect shape, have a lovely dripless edge and just make my world a happier place.  In fact, I could use another set of these.  HUSBAND - I want this!


Pie Dish - you say you want some pie?   I suggest giving this pie plate to someone who can bake you one.  This pie dish creates a beautiful crust, helps you make a perfect fluted edge and has a beautiful heft and weight that make it easy to serve this on the table.  I have one given to me by a good friend and I use it every opportunity I get.  I love this red as it is so festive, so I'm thinking that another one of these might not be such a bad addition to my kitchen.


Square Baker - What...you say you want some hot crab dip?  Buy someone one of these and print out a recipe and see if they won't make it for you - if only to thank you for this gorgeous green dish



All Clad Pots - A very loving and kind Aunt and Uncle of Husband decided to gift us with these pots and pans when we married.  They are nearing 10 years old and they are beautiful and gorgeous still.  I've even managed to burn and scorch a baby bottle in one, drop it on concrete and dent the side, but still gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous.  I'd buy this set over again if I had to....















Williams-Sonoma has 20% off of their cookware as well.  (link here.)  I think the deal is probably better at amazon, but Williams-Sonoma has a lot of exclusives.

Gold Touch Baking Pans (muffin, cupcakes, 9X13, 9X9, round pans)  from Williams-Sonoma (link here)  These are my favorite baking pans.  Sister in law bought me a brand new collection two years ago and I haven't looked back.  I've slowly added to my collection with the mini cupcake pan and a 9X9 baking pan.  I'm looking to add another 9X13 pan and a set of standard muffin tins to my collection.  You can't have too many of these and the sizes and quality of these just go a long way in your kitchen.  They aren't cheap, but they do go a looooooooong way in your kitchen.  The even baking, excellent release, and beautiful shapes all make these pans a winner!


Cake Plate - I have loved this cake plate from afar for a long while now.  I love the shape, it photographs beautiful and cupcakes and treats look simply gorgeous and elegant on it.  Shoot - you could put a couple pieces of toast on this plate and it would make the toast look like you'd flown it in from France, air express.  I haven't gotten it yet (the price is a bit steep for me right now) but have thought of purchasing it after I make $200 a month on my blog. :)  (Link here.)

Mangowood Salad Bowl and Servers - I received this as a gift last year (thanks JY!) and I LOVE IT!  I throw a bunch of fruit in there and leave it as a centerpiece many times.  (right now it is filled with tangerines and tiny yummy apples)  Every salad I make in it looks more appetizing and I have to say that is really is one of my favorite kitchen serving plates.... (Link here.)

Stocking Stuffers

Spatulas - I can never have enough of these...it is one of the items I pick up in various colors.  I use them and eventually I do something obnoxious with it like burning the handle, or my favorite trick is snapping the handle off when I balance it on the edge of my stand mixer....the spatula falls in and somehow gets tangled in the blade and then snaps in half....which means I can always use a few more of them.  I love Le Creuset's size and color.


Whisk - if you're making mochi cakes on a regular basis, OR you want someone to make a lot of mochi cakes for you...well then you need to give one of these bad boys as a present.


Scoops or Dishers - I use my set all the time...if I'm not scooping mini muffins or cupcakes, I'm scooping cookie dough.  It just makes things that much easier to do in the kitchen.














Cookbooks that are great to own

Tyler Florence Family Meals - I have a profound appreciation for his philosophy on feeding others and how much he wants to remind people of the benefits of cooking your own food.  The pictures are gorgeous and the recipes can all be simplified (like I do to some of them on my blog.)  He is pretty darn cute in the book as well in his photographs and it's a nice one for anyone's book shelf.














The Cake Book by Tish Boyle - Definitely one of my favorite cake books, due to the range covered in this book.  From simple to super complicated all the recipes are scrumptious.














All Cakes Considered by Melissa Gray - Melissa Gray baked every weekend for her friends and coworkers at NPR and this is a chronicle of those recipes she made and the reactions received.  There are lots of helpful hints to help you avoid pitfalls and just funny anecdotes to accompany each cake.

Prayer Dinner Party: The sweetness of life is in the giving...

For the Amazing Team....you know who you are and you just rock my world.

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. - Luke 6:38

As the holiday season comes roaring to its fever pitch, oftentimes we get lost trying to do too many things and getting caught up in the business of the season.  There are multiple parties to attend to, gifts to buy, gifts to make, performances to attend, office parties to dress for and the weeks following Thanksgiving until the New Year are often hectic and exhausting.

The holidays are always crazy for me as well because I like to cook for friends and family and prepare tons of food at home.  I also like to bake goods for the teachers at different schools and show my appreciation and love for friends by making them a homemade treat.  This means that I'm in my kitchen a lot.  Add on top of that Son's birthday party is always the weekend right after Thanksgiving and suddenly I'm almost too exhausted to get up in the morning.

This season, on top of all the regular stuff, I decided to add another event and host another prayer dinner, similar to the one I did last month.  I didn't know if I would have the same turnout or not, and as the date came closer to the day, it became clear that I would not have the same intense turnout.  I debated hosting it, because it seemed perhaps almost not worth it if so few people were attending.  But at the final moment, I decided that hosting it, even for only a few people would be well worth it.  And upon further thought, came to the conclusion that I would really have the opportunity to serve some people who have dedicated their lives to truly serving others - forsaking traditional jobs and work in order that they are free and ready to pray for others at any given moment. 

The team that came today and the last time is a group of people who truly just pray for others.  They ask for nothing in return and have willingly and joyfully given their time and prayers for anyone who wants and asks.  In talking to one of the team members who is my friend, she told me that she thought that perhaps this prayer dinner could also be a small Christmas party for the team and a birthday party for one of the team's daughter.  I took all of that to heart and decided that this time, I really wanted to serve the team in the way that they had been serving others. 

Last night, I had to stay up quite late to bake all the cupcakes and the cookies I wanted to have for the dinner and to make sure that the pulled pork would be ready to pop in the oven as soon as I woke up in the morning.  And the whole time, while tired and yawning, I still felt great.  I envisioned how the team might feel to get a delicious home-cooked meal, to have a moment of respite and relaxation, and how the sweetness of the cupcake and the cookies might be reflected in their eyes.  I cooked and prepared thinking of their faces and how I might give them something in return for all the amazing prayers they have showered on my friends, my family and on me.  And I think the joy and desire must have spilled over into the food...

because it really tasted good.   I'm not bragging or anything, but I think  the food was especially delicious because it was prepared with happiness.   I got so many comments of appreciation from the team, from the people who came to receive prayer and at the end of the night, almost nothing was left.  And that - the emptiness of the plates, and the smiles on the team filled my heart almost to bursting and made me joyful.  Despite my physical tiredness my heart rejoiced.   And I felt so much at the end of the evening that my effort, however small, spilled back over into my lap one hundred fold at the serving of others.

The menu was one that came together in a lovely fashion.  I liked the combination of flavors very much and much of it was prepared before hand.  The many time consuming thing is making the pulled pork, but it's not an effort thing - mostly it has to be put into the oven and then pulled at the end of it.  The Thai carrot soup came out a bit spicier than I would have liked but was still tasty  The cupcakes and the cookies at the end were just a lovely extra to enjoy and brought smiles on the faces of young and old.

I am overflowing - not just stomach wise, but my heart.

Menu
Crackers, Cheese, Salami
Asian Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Pork rubbed the night before and then cooked in the oven for 8.5 hours day of dinner.  plan this well.)
Thai Carrot Soup (made the day before, cooled, chilled and warmed the day of the dinner)
Ginger Slaw (salad chopped the night before, dressing made the night before, tossed together right before serving)
Vanilla Bean Vanilla Bean Cupcakes (baked and frosted the day of)
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt (Dough made 3 days in advance, baked the night before)

Angel Hair Pasta with Chili, Lemon, and Arugula: I don't want to be a gangster's wife

To my Tony Soprano.  I'm grudgingly your Carm.

One of the quirkier and amusing things about Husband has to do with his attraction towards characters in TV shows.  He can watch almost any TV show (or any decent TV show) and find a character with whom he relates. As he watches the show, Husband will comment on how whatever is happening to the character on the show is actually happening to him.  If he's watching Everyone Loves Raymond (Husband is Raymond) and Ray's wife Deborah says something mean or sarcastic to Ray, Husband will turn to me and say, "Why are you being so mean to me?"  Usually I'll throw Husband an exasperated look and burst out laughing.  What makes it even more entertaining is that he will take almost ANY character and plant himself in it.  He's been Greg House from House MD (love that show) and somehow relate to a vicodin-addicted doctor, or the guy from the show Lie to Me played by Tim Roth and challenge me to speak to him without lying, since as Husband puts it, "I have excellent sense of liars."  He has been several characters from the show The Wire and even managed to get into the groove with the show Glee (he's Sue Sylvester).

But the most outlandish character with whom he bonded and related and took on as his persona was Tony Soprano from the series The Sopranos.  It was one character where  I really didn't see the connection - the mafia, gangster, womanizing, fat, unhealthy, unpleasant, unattractive, horrible accented person was no way resembling Husband.  But for whatever reason, he felt the same sort of persecution and injustices that Tony did and would often turn to me while watching the show and say, "Do you see what these people are doing to me?  Do they even know who I am?"  There was a period when he also wanted to get several colors of velour tracksuits (I said no) so that he could further channel his inner Tony Soprano.  Whenever Tony and his wife Carmela would fight, Husband would turn to me and say, "You really shouldn't treat me this way."  I would throw my hands up in exasperation because honestly, I did not like ANY of the characters on the show and did not relate to any of them, especially Carmela. 

But it was the scenes with food that would really get Husband excited.  Carmela would always serve those huge bowls of pasta and you'd see Tony eating his way through pounds and pounds of pasta at the table.  And Husband would lick his lips while watching and say, "I could go for a bowl of that pasta."  Husband's favorite noodle is angel hair and whenever Husband saw his alter ego consuming those bowls of noodles he'd crave them.

My only connection with my television alter ego is the cooking.  And for Husband's pasta loving habits, I have to channel my inner Carmela Soprano every once in a while to get a huge bowl of pasta in front of him.  The hardest thing about channeling Carmela in this dish is the timing.  You want the pasta to be hot when you toss the oil, so I'd recommend getting the bread crumbs and oil ready before trying to cook the pasta, so that you can get the pasta when it's good and hot.

Angel Hair Pasta with Chili, Lemon, and Arugula
from Tyler Florence's Family Meal
Serves 4 to 6

2 cups panko bread crumbs
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons to toast the breadcrumbs, 6 tablespoons for the garlic/chili oil)
8 garlic cloves, slivered (he suggests 3, but that is NOT enough garlic for my family)
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 pound of angel hair pasta
2 cups lightly packed baby, or wild arugula

In a skillet, combine panko with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss together to combine. Toast over medium heat until bread crumbs are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to smal bowl.

In the same skillet heat remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 10 to 12 minutes to gently cook the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Immediately add arugula, garlic infused oil, bread crumbs and toss everythign together. Mound the pasta on a large platter and serve.

Printable recipe

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Persimmons: Oh to be classy!

I imagine in my head, throwing elegant cocktail parties, where the women come dressed in their perfect black dresses and the men look dapper in their suits and slicked back hair.  My house and kitchen are modern and immaculate, and I am perfectly coiffed, elegant and with beautiful manicured hands.  Husband serves cocktails that he shakes up at the bar, while I have created elegant appetizers and small bites for the guests to enjoy.  There is a live band playing the perfect songs in the corner and the conversation is lively, refined, and elevated.

That is the image that went through my head when I read my November issue Bon Appetit.  They had a series of recipes for the "modern cocktail party" and reading through the recipes REALLY made me want to throw such a thing...only I know that my party cannot be modern (our house is sooooooooooooooo old) and cocktails are more likely to be beers that are being drunk while holding a screaming child or soothing an argumentative toddler.  The image above, I had to admit to myself, is more than a few years off.

But one recipe really consumed me and made me want to make it and taste it.  I mean REALLY made me want to make it.  It looked so easy to make, but the flavors of goat cheese and fig and pancetta so intrigued me that I couldn't stop thinking about it.  So I spent the next week picking up the ingredients I knew I would need, the tricky ones being thinly sliced pancetta (in rounds, not the long strips the way you think of American bacon) and fig jam.  I managed to find the thinly sliced pancetta at my local Safeway (Vons or Pavillions may have it as well) and the fig jam was scored at Whole Foods.  I also picked up a slightly different goat cheese at Trader Joe's, instead of the regular chevre I had originally intended on getting.

I wanted to make them for someone, but finally decided that I didn't want to wait anymore for someone worthy to eat the dish.  I decided that I alone was worthy of such scrumptiousness and went for it.  So yesterday, for lunch, I made myself the little appetizer.  As I assembled them for the photograph, I knew that it would be so delicious, so I snapped the photographs rather impatiently.  And when I took the first bite, I was in love.  It was such a delicious bite of food I subsequently consumed four more of them.

I had enough pancetta, jam and goat cheese leftover, so that when friend BF came over today, I offered to make her some.  She was intrigued and said sure.  I made four more and SHE went nuts over them as well.  And that is, as we say, history. I didn't get my fancy cocktail party, and I didn't have any fancy drinks, but I sure had a delicious bite of food which I was able to share with a good friend.  Now, if only I could get my hands on a cocktail...

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Persimmons/Apples
Adapted from Bon Appetit | November 2010
Makes 12

12 thin pancetta slices (The Primo Taglio brand I used from Safeway was TOO thin, so I had to double them up)
24 arugula leaves
12 teaspoons soft fresh goat cheese
Fig jam or preserves
12 small fresh persimmon wedges or fuji apple wedges

Preheat oven to 400. Place pancetta in single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet Bake until crisp 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to platter.

Top each slice with 2 arugula leaves, 1 teaspoon goat cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon jam, and 1 persimmon wedge or apple wedge. Sprinkle with ground pepper if desired.

Printable recipe

Also delicious topped with an apple.

Backstage of a food blog: Does a food blog make money?

There are some who wonder why I continue to write a food blog.  Let me assure you, it is not because of the money.  I do it because I love, REALLY love getting people excited about cooking.  I receive emails and messages regularly from people who tell me that they have started to like cooking - because of my food blog.  THAT is my greatest payment, for sure.

However, I do get some money from the blog itself.  I thought I'd share how my food blog generates me a small amount of money so that people know and understand why I do what I do on the blog. 

Traffic
The number of impressions my blog gets is the greatest source of income.  For me, I get paid $2 for every 1000 impressions my blog gets.  This is provided to me through my contract with Foodbuzz, which is why you see their advertisement and badge on the top half of my blog.  What does that mean for you the reader?  It means that when you visit my blog, that is one impression.  If you click onto another page of my blog, you've just given me two impressions.  Stick around reading and clicking around my blog, and you could quickly rack up 10 to 20 impressions.   I'd like you to come to my blog and stick around, clicking to see other posts and other recipes.  This is why I should keep the tabs at the top of my blog (the Korean Cooking, Lunch box ideas etc) current so as to encourage more people to visit.  This is also why I'll post links onto my facebook page to drive traffic to my blog.  This is also why at the bottom of each post, there are three additional pictures, linking you to other similar posts, in the hopes that perhaps you will stick around.  In the early days, my blog got about 5,000 impressions in a month - about 10 dollars.  Now, I get close to 50,000 impressions in a month, which is close to $100. 

Although $100 may seem like a lot just in terms of having a blog, it requires a ton of work.  I know that I get many more impressions, when I post more often.  I need to continue posting new recipes and ideas to keep my readers coming back for more.  I also have to submit my photographs to Tastespotting and Foodgawker to get the random foodie interested in coming and visiting me.  Also note what I did on those links I did for Tastespotting and Foodgawker.  I sent you to the page holding my archives of submitted pictures in the hopes that you might find a photograph compelling and get you to click on it and come back to the blog.  It's more work, but it might squeeze out an additional impression for me.  All together, the amount of work that I put into the blog ranges anywhere between 15-25 hours a week.   If  I am not posting, then I'm editing photographs trying to submit them to Tastespotting and Foodgawker, or I'm trying to spruce up the blog in order to keep you on my blog just those two or three impressions longer.  If you do the math, I'm making about $1 or $2 an hour on my blog.  I make MUCH MUCH more as a private teacher/college essay reader.

Google Ads
Also on my blog you'll notice advertisements from Google.  Those google ads, IF clicked on can also generate some income for me.  In the early early early days of the blog, I thought that if I made $1 a day or $30 a month, the blog would be worth it.  (This is before Foodbuzz's contract).  I begged my mom to click on the google ad daily and I begged my sister in law to do the same.  Close friends also tried to remember to click on the advertisement to help me generate income that way.  All in all, in the early days, Google ads paid me about $2 a month based on the clicks that I got.  These days I'm up to $25 a month from Google, but that is more based on the sheer traffic of my blog than the number of clicks on ads.  However, a single daily click on a google ad often means that instead of the normal 60 cents a day Google might pay me, I could be bumped up to $1.50. 

Amazon Commissions
Some of my posts recommend a product to you.  If you click the link, and choose to buy something from that initial link from my blog, I will get anywhere between 4-6.5% of the total sale in commissions.  The vanilla beans that I use and recommend on my blog, if clicked on and purchased, generally gets me anywhere between $.60 to $.97.  If you buy a few items from that initial click from my blog, then I get a commission for your total purchase.  When I recommend an item to you, it is because I like and trust the item, generally has free shipping, and it isn't simply to generate a commission from you.  My sister in law loves to see me get commissions so she deliberately links through my blog to buy anything from amazon, if only to provide me the commission.  My brothers do the same.  All told, Amazon commissions are usually anywhere between $10 to $20 a month.


Williams-Sonoma Commissions
The Williams-Sonoma commission is a new one for me. You have to apply to be one of their advertising sites, and once approved then you are able to post their ad on your website and potentially generate some income for yourself.  I'm not entirely sure how the commission structure works in terms of traffic (I think if I send them 100 hits or so in a week, I get some money), but for any purchases made through linking from my blog, I get a commission of 10%.  Since this is new, I have no idea how much money this will generate for me, but Williams Sonoma is a store I really do love (and spend too much money at) which is why I chose to have the link on my page.  If it generates me a few bucks, then that's always nice.

All told, these days my blog makes about $150 a month.  It's not enough to cover the grocery bills in this house, or even camera expenses, but it is money that I've used to send to Haiti and to cover some minor expenses of running the blog. But, I thought I'd reveal to you the behind the scenes of how a blog makes money, if only to be honest with my readers about why I do some of the things that I do.  The commission and money is nice, but it certainly isn't any sort of motivation for me to keep the blog up.  The other stuff - human relationships, family meals, and people learning to cook which is so much more important to me.

3rd Birthday Party: Family Fun and Christmas Ornaments

Because of Son's allergies, I've kept him home from pre-school an additional year.  I wanted one more year of watching his allergies, being aware of how they are developing and protecting him from possible accidental harm.  The school where I would send him has an excellent allergy awareness (rated extremely high by Son's allergist) and I know would do a great job of keeping him safe.  However, I just wanted that additional year to allow him to outgrow some more allergies and be more comfortable at school with his peers.

Therefore, Son has no friends by virtue of his own friend making ability.  His friends are children of Husband and my friends, and Son's friends are actually Husband and my friends.  He has many "uncles" and "aunties" whom he considers his friends along with the children of said uncles and aunties.  When I asked Son, whom do you want to have at your birthday party, there were just as many adults as there were children.  At one point I thought of just asking the children to come and kicking out the parents, but there were two sets of parents that Son was insistent attend his party.  (SJ, JJ, JEL and HJL, that's you guys.)  So with that, I made the decision to host families that were on Son's list and invite them over for a nice lunch, bouncy house and ornament making.  It would be a combination pre-holiday party as well as a birthday party.

I chose a menu that could be made ahead of time, wouldn't require anyone to grill and would be warm and satisfying.  I think this menu really hit the spot because there were almost NO leftovers.

Menu
Spinach Dip and Crudites
Hot Artichoke Dip
Curried Chicken Salad
Turkey Chili with fixings (chopped cilantro, scallions, cheddar cheese)
Chicken Barley Vegetable Soup
Macaroni and Cheese
Bagels and cream cheese
Vanilla Bean Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

I made everything the day before EXCEPT the Macaroni and Cheese and cookies.  I baked the Chocolate Chip cookies the day of the party as well, although the dough was made a couple of days earlier.  It made the day of the party manageable enough where I could take a shower and put on some makeup.  I also had some wonderful help in friend JJ who showed up early to slice bagels and help set up and Mom who was just an extra set of extremely fast hands in the kitchen.

Activities

We rented a jumpy house and put that in the front lawn. The kids went back and forth inside the house and out after jumping like crazy in the bouncy house.  As a more reserved and mellow activity I also had two craft projects, both making ornaments.  I have to say, that they were a huge hit and the kids loved them.  One was geared for the younger children and the second was for older children and adults.

Beads and Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

These are very simply made with some pipe cleaner and tri beads, which I easily found at Michaels.  You can also buy them online.  If you have no idea what a tri bead is, the link below will take you to some.  Michaels was well stocked with them at a relatively cheap price as well.



Pipe cleaners are simply strung with the beads and then shaped into whatever desired shape.  Kids did hearts, stars, candy canes and there were some girls who even made an octopus.  (okay, Daughter made this HUGE Christmas octopus...it was truthfully a bit scary.)  But it occupied the kids for a long while and they all got to take home an ornament.

Wire and Bead Ornaments (for older kids and adults)
The second craft was using wire, cookie cutters, and beads.  The cookie cutters were essentially a mold around which wire was wrapped three times, and then embellished with more wire.

You can find more information about how to do it here. 

Goody Bags
I saw these crayon rolls and new I wanted to make them.  After all, I have a sewing machine, so why not?  Well - because I'm not skillful enough to make them.  I had to call in the support troops and Mother-in-law was my champion.  I cut and marked all the felt and my mother in law helped me sew all of them. I love the idea of these crayon rolls so much and the kids love them since the crayons don't roll around.  I followed the excellent tutorial of how to make these here. 

It was a fantastic party where Son celebrated with 30 of his close friends and family singing to him.  I felt good feeding all my good friends good food and sharing in good fun!

Egg Free, Dairy Free Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache (VEGAN): The world revolves around ME!

The world revolves around me.  I am the center of the universe.  All decisions and thoughts are made considering only me and my needs alone.  No one else matters.  All situations, circumstance and people bow low to me and my desires.  What I want, I get.  What I want to eat, I make.  What I feel like doing, I do.

And in the middle of watching my universe spin around me and follow my every order and wish, I have Son, with his numerous allergies and restrictions throwing a monkey wrench into the normal continuous revolution of my universe.  For where he is concerned in terms of food, what I want doesn't go.  The other day, we went out to dinner and after asking the waiter several in a series of questions about the preparation of certain foods such as, "Does the calamari have any breading?  Is it soaked in milk?" to "Is the spinach sauteed in butter or garlic?" and "Can we substitute french fries for the mashed potatoes" I ended up ordering a ribeye steak, french fries with sauteed spinach for Son and me to eat....only I REALLY wanted to eat the chicken canneloni that looked and sounded simply delicious.  But no go, no way, and the steak was pretty good, but just not the cheesy deliciousness I wanted.

Then Son mentioned that for his birthday he wanted CAKE.  He wanted to eat his own cupcake.  And as my mind rapidly went over all the permutations of what that could POSSIBLY look like, I fell out of the center of my revolving universe.  For it I had my way, I'd make him a beautiful vanilla bean cupcake with cream cheese vanilla frosting...but doing what I want will pretty much secure my line in the waiting room of a nearby emergency room.  Putting my own desires and will aside, I decided to make Son a egg-free, dairy free vanilla cake with a simple dairy free chocolate ganache. 

I followed the recipes of Chef Chloe, who was the winner of Food Network's cupcake wars.  The more amazing thing about that is she won as a VEGAN baker....no eggs, no dairy, no animal products whatsoever.  (her use of nut milks and alcohol make me pause a bit where Son is concerned, but not the basics itself.)  I decided to use her basic vanilla cake recipe and combine it with a chocolate ganache I saw in another one of her recipes.  The result was a simple vanilla cake with chocolate ganache that tasted surprisingly good!  (The bad part of this story is that I think Son is allergic to chocolate as he much preferred the plain, unfrosted cake after complaining that the chocolate one made his tongue itchy.)  There was another young friend of Son's that is also unable to eat dairy and egg and he was thrilled to be eating a cupcake after never having had one that he could consume.  The final guest who enjoyed it was friend LC, who discovered that her breastfeeding son is also allergic to dairy, so she also got to enjoy a cupcake.  It was her comments that made me happy because she said they tasted REALLY good and the only thing that made it noticeably different was the spongy chewy quality cake - which is missing in a vegan cupcake.  Daughters begged to eat one as well, so they also enjoyed a few of them...which made me realize that I could just make the vegan ones if ever I needed to....and my universe can continue revolving around me.

Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache (VEGAN)
Adapted from Chef Chloe

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 ½ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk or other non-dairy milk
½ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.

Distribute batter into lined cupcake baking pan, and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.


Chocolate Ganache
1 cup chocolate chips (Guittard and Trader Joe's Semi Sweet Chocolate chips both do not contain dairy.)
1/4 cup coconut milk

In a double boiler (a bowl over a pot of boiling water) melt chocolate and coconut milk together. Whisk together until smooth.

Assembly
Carefully dip each cupcake into the ganache and flip it so that the chocolate has a chance to set.

Printable recipe

Seaweed Stalk Side Dish (Miyuk Joolgee미역줄기): The things that make me smile

Sometimes it is the smallest thing that make me smile.  Right now, every single time Son makes a trip to the potty, finishes, washes his hands and says "I'm done" the biggest smile creeps up on my face.  After a few weeks of madly streaking to the bathroom and stepping in puddles of pee, the drama seems to have died.  Thankfully.  A potty-trained son just makes me smile.

Another source of smiles is when Son and Daughters GOBBLE something I've made down.  And by gobble, I mean grabbing as much as they can, as quickly as they can and shoveling it into their mouths.  Despite what you may think given the fact that I am a food blogger, I do not have kids who shovel their food down each and every meal.  However, this one dish gets that reaction EVERY single time - and the crazy thing is that it is so easy to make and relatively good for you. 

Miyuk joolgee is the chewier stalk of seaweed that has been salted and preserved.  Sauteed with garlic and sesame oil and finished with sprinkling of green onions and sesame seeds make it a truly delicious simple side dish.  The first time I ever really had it was when I was visiting boyfriend's parents (now mother-in-law and father-in-law) and Boyfriend/Husband's mother made some as a side dish with our dinner.  I loved it.  I ate it and ate it and continued to eat it and I think I shocked my future mother-in-law.  She didn't bat an eyelash and instead the entire week I was there continued to prepare it for me every meal that she could.  I enjoyed it every meal that she made it for me.  After returning home, the flavor and texture haunted me so I hunted around trying to figure out exactly what I had eaten.  After I figured it out, it also became a staple in my home.  And it turns out that Son and Daughters love it.  They call it green noodles and it has a very pleasant crispy chewy texture. 

This is a package of the seaweed. 

Seaweed Stalk Side Dish (미역줄기)
serves 3-4 (depending on how much the dish is loved)

7 or 8 oz of seaweed stalk package (miyuk joolgee 미역줄기)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 teaspoon sesame seed

Take the seaweed stalk out of the package. There will be lots of salt all over the seaweed.

Place seaweed in a bowl and fill it with cold water and rinse out the salt 2 or 3 times. After a good amount of salt has been rinsed off, allow the seaweed stalk to soak in fresh water for another hour. This helps remove extra saltiness. You shouldn't soak it too long otherwise you completely lose the seasoning. (My mother in law says I soak it too long, but since the kids eat it I try and make it just minimally salty.)

After soaking, drain seaweed stalk and cut pieces into bite sized manageable pieces. A pair of kitchen sheers does the job best. You will have to cut both length and cut narrow strips as some pieces of the stalk can be quite thick. (if you have small children who love this, they can choke so cut nice small pieces.)

Heat a fry pan over medium high heat. Add both vegetable oil and sesame oil to the pan and add garlic. Cook for a minute and then add seaweed. Continue to cook until all seaweed is coated with oil and is full tossed together, about another 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds. Serve either warm, or can be refrigerated and served cold. (I usually serve it warm the first day and if there is any left, cold the next.)

Printable recipe