Classic Waffles

Parmesan waffles with a side salad.

Classic Waffles
adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl. Preheat waffle iron.
2. In another bowl, beat eggs. Stir in milk, butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the milk into flour mixture. Beat until blended. It is okay if the batter is clumpy.
3. Lightly grease waffle iron. Ladle in batter and cook until golden. 

Notes

• It is not a very sweet or salty batter so the waffles can be made savory or sweet depending how on you choose to top it.
• The waffle is fluffy and light. However, it is not very crispy.
• Freeze leftovers in a ziploc bag for future snacks.

I'm Back? [Honey Granola]

When I last posted, it was during a transition period at my job. The business was in a tough position and I was thrown in the mix to maintain order while my boss dealt with the paperwork to keep the business alive. Working through uncertainty isn't my strength and I was fairly stressed and tired. Eventually, everything settled down and I was promoted after 2 years of hard work.

It's been both an amazing, stressful, and tiresome journey, but I have finally discovered my footing. I feel more secure and I am falling into a pattern where I can complete my work duties while still creating time for hobbies. Since September, I have not baked or taken any gorgeous photos. I have just been grinding in and out of work trying to reach the high expectations I set for myself. I am learning to compromise what I want versus reality. A difficult pill to swallow for a perfectionist like me.

Now it's time to unwind with some homemade granola and yogurt. Yums.

Honey Granola
adapted from Baking Unplugged by Nicole Rees

Note: This isn't a very sweet granola, but feel free to increase the sugar up to 1/2 cup to suit your taste. I prefer my granola plain so I don't add any nuts or dried fruits, but you can always add up to 3 cups of nuts or dried fruits.

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg white
3 TBSP oil
3 TBSP honey
2 TBSP water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
4 heaping cups old fashioned oats
3 cups of dried fruits or toasted nuts/seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, oil, honey, water, vanilla, and salt until combined.
3. Stir in oats, coat evenly. 
4. Spread out mixture in an even layer on the pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir granola and push the browned bits toward center of pan.
5. Reduce heat to 250°F. Bake for 20 minutes. 
6. Stir and back for another 20 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Stir and allow to cool completely.
8. Stir in any desired dried fruits or nuts.
9. Store at room temperature in an air tight container.

DAMN, Where have you been all my life? [Anzac Biscuits]

To preserve my sanity, I avoided foodgawker and reading my favorite blogs during my sugar challenge. It helped with my urge to bake sweets and once my month ended, I jumped right in and started browsing then this recipe caught my eye. I couldn't do anything, but rush out the door to buy coconut (by the way, it was a 12 block run -- round trip).

Oh my, did it feel GREAT to make a mess in the kitchen. I can't wait to do it again. These cookies are crispy on the edges, chewy, and caramel-ly on the inside. I'm normally not a fan of coconut, but the taste is faint and it adds to the chewy texture.

Anzac Biscuits
adapted from Martha Stewart/UseRealButter

Makes 16 cookies

Ingredients
140g flour
90g oats
165g sugar
45g shredded coconut (unsweetened)
pinch of salt
6 TBSP unsalted butter
10g honey
10g maple syrup
1/2 heaping tsp baking soda
3 TBSP boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine flour, oats, sugar, coconut, and salt.
3. In a pot over low heat, melt butter, honey, and maple syrup.
4. In a small bowl, mix baking soda and boiling water. Add to butter and combine.
5. Add butter to dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated and moist.
6. Use a tablespoon to scoop dough. Shape into a ball and flatten with palm of hands.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let it cool for 3 minutes on baking sheet before moving to cooling rack.

My Sugar Journey is Ending Soon [Addicting Spicy Warm Egg & Nut Salad]

Recently, I've been consuming ice cream, cakes, cookies, and sweets throughout my week. My lowest point was eating a Nestle Drumstick for breakfast, which I didn't even enjoy. I only ate it, because it was in my refrigerator. It's time for a sugar intervention. Starting on May 1, I will be committing myself to a No Sugar Challenge for the month. I will be posting rules in another post closer to my start date.

I'm not sure how I will handle a month without sweets since my blog is 95% dessert based. It will be a challenge, but it will force me to practice photographing savory foods, which means more savory recipes for you! I can honestly say that JSB will be happy with that change, because she is always complaining that I make too many sweets. In honor of her, I finally wrote down the recipe for her favorite Warm Egg & Nut Salad.

Addicting Spicy Warm Egg & Nut Salad

Note: I love multipurpose recipes. As a salad, it's a great snack in the afternoon or an appetizer in a multiple course meal. When the egg is omitted, it turns into a lovely bowl of spicy nuts to munch on during the day. In the past, I have used mixed nuts (from Trader Joe's) and almonds. Any type of nuts work. I prefer my nuts chopped into smaller pieces, but feel free to keep them whole.

Serves 1

Ingredients
1/3 cup nuts
1 egg
1/8 tsp sea salt
pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 mustard powder
1/4 heaping tsp cheese powder
1/4 of a green onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. With an egg in a pot, fill it with water until the egg is submerged. Cover. Put over high heat until the water boils. Turn off the heat, leave the cover on, and set the timer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add sea salt, sugar, garlic powder, cayenne, mustard powder, and cheese powder. Stir.
3. In a skillet set over medium heat, add the nuts. Shake occasionally. When the nuts are hot to the touch and toasted, spray with olive or canola oil with an oil sprayer. Sprinkle seasoning onto the nuts and shake the skillet  until nuts are evenly coated. Turn off the heat when the nuts are dry to the touch.
4. The egg should nearly be done. When the timer goes off, pour out the hot water and run cool water over it. Take the shell off the egg and cut into 6 - 8 chunks.
5. In a bowl, toss the nuts and egg together until mixed. Taste and add more salt as needed. Enjoy while warm.

For my Sis. [Fresh & Simple Guacamole]

The Ingredients + Cilantro

I was on the a roll in the kitchen today and boy does it feel good to be back! I made guacamole and had time to photograph it. Woah, right? I also made layered jello and lunch for tomorrow. Now that the fun part is over, it's time to get back to writing papers.

Fresh & Simple Guacamole

Servings: 1 to 2 people

Ingredients
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 of a small tomato (approx. 2.5 inches), diced
1/4 of a small red onion, diced
a small handful of cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
3 - 7 slices of jalapeno, depends on spice preference
salt to taste

Directions

1. Put the diced avocado in a medium sized bowl and use a fork to gently mash until only some small chunks remain.
2. Add the diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime, jalapeno, and salt. Mix and taste. Add more salt as necessary. Put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors develop. 

The Dreaded Wheat Bread Sandwiches [Mayonnaise Salad Dressing]

I used to hate sandwiches especially wheat ones with one layer of salami or ham and a thin spread of mayonnaise. I had that exact sandwich everyday from kindergarten until 8th grade. No changes in the type of bread or filling. Always a thin layer of mayonnaise and an over salted limp slice of cold cut. 

Then one day during 6th grade for some unknown reason, my mom expressed how much she loved me by making me macaroni salad for lunch. Once I found out she could make other meals besides sandwiches, I would beg and cry for ANYTHING, but the wheat bread sandwiches. You can imagine how much I salivated and ate with pleasure when I had macaroni salad. Sometimes the pasta was switched out for potatoes to make potato salad.

As I grew older, I realized that the macaroni salad weren't that special. It was elbow macaroni mixed with strips of cold cut and tossed in a light mayonnaise dressing. Now the dressing wasn't even that impressive. It was a mix of what we had in the cupboard: a scoop of mayonnaise, pinch of sugar and salt, heavy dose of pepper and garlic powder, and a dash of vinegar. When I started cooking in high school and I tried replicating the dressing, it tasted good, but it wasn't as memorable and pleasurable as my middle school days.

Memories.

Mayonnaise Salad Dressing

Note: Compared to my memories, this dressing is much more flavorful. It has the right mixture of tang and sweetness.  Like my memories, this is meant to lightly coat a pasta salad (or potato salad) for one. Feel free to double the recipe for a heavier coating. In my salads, I generally have 1 cup of cooked pasta, 3/4 to 1/2 cup of carrots, raw onions, or celery, and 1/4 cup of protein.

Servings 1

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, pressed/crushed

1 heaping TBSP mayonnaise

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 to 5 shakes of black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp honey

Directions

1. In a bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk to mix. 
2. When all the pasta salad elements are prepared, toss the dressing with the pasta. 
3. For best flavor, let the pasta sit with the dressing overnight in the refrigerator. 

Light Winter Snack [Honey Wheat Pizza Dough]

A new year with new goals. After my trip from Hong Kong and Taiwan this past December, I am suddenly motivated to learn to read Chinese. My other goal is to engage in a healthier lifestyle, which includes more water intake, exercise, and a better diet.

On a different note, it's been cold in San Francisco. (Yes, it's not freezing temperatures, but us Franciscans have a low tolerance for "cold".) The best way to deal with it is to cook a dish that will keep me warm and warm up the kitchen as well. The idea: homemade pizza.

For my pizza, I made a honey wheat pizza dough. I used mozzarella cheese, fennel, fuyu persimmon, and Italian sausages for toppings. The lovely light licorice flavor flavor mingled with sweet ripen persimmon with spicy sausages was the perfect combination.

If a pizza stone isn't available, use a cast iron skillet to bake a pizza for the perfect crispy crust.

Note: The secret to a crispy crust without a pizza stone is to use a cast iron skillet. It handles the heat extremely well and is nonstick once seasoned so it's perfect for pizza making!

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough
Serves 1 for a meal or a snack for 2

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/2 heaping tsp active dry yeast
1/4 tsp honey
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Add honey into the water and microwave for 40 seconds. Dip a finger in and if it feels like a hot shower then it's at the correct temperature or 110°F if you're OCD about precision.
2. Add yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. In another bowl, add flour, olive oil, and salt. Make a hole in the middle and pour water in. Use a spoon and mix everything together.
4. Knead by hand for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth. Grease a bowl, place dough in bowl, and cover with saran wrap. Let it rise for 1  to 1 1/2 hours until it doubles in size.
5. Preheat oven to 500°F and place cast iron skillet in oven (pizza stone or baking sheet).
6. Roll out dough and add desired toppings.
7. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling.

Light Winter Pizza

Toppings
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 persimmon, diced
half a fennel, sliced thinly
1 hot Italian sausage, cooked and sliced
olive oil
sea salt
Mozzarella cheese, grated

semolina flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F and place cast iron skillet in oven.
2. Divide into 4 pieces, which will make 3.5 inch pizzas. Sprinkle semolina flour on counter to prevent dough sticking to the surface. Roll out dough.
3. Brush with olive oil and a couple shakes of sea salt. Sprinkle on garlic, persimmon, fennel, and sausage evenly on pizza. (Remember: less is more. Too many toppings and the pizza will get soggy). Last step, sprinkle a thin layer of cheese.
4. Transfer to cookie sheet with semolina flour to prevent sticking. Go to oven and tilt the cookie sheet so the pizza slides onto the heated cast iron skillet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until crust is browned.  Use a metal spatula to retrieve the hot pizza. Slice and enjoy.

Delicious, but Ugly Series #2 - [Cheese Pancakes]

I like simple and quick when I'm craving for a snack. Ever since I discovered Vanilla Garlic and his damn posts about delicious cheese he consumes, I've been craving cheese. I specifically wanted crispy melted cheese and these pancakes satisfied my craving.

Aiiiyaaah. Overexposed image. [insert sad face]

Cheese Pancakes

adapted from Use Real Butter

Note: This is based on Use Real Butter's green onion dough and instructions. The best part, no measurements are needed and you can health it up with whole wheat flour.

Ingredients

1:1 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour (or only all-purpose flour)

water

sea salt

pepper

grated cheese (Mozzarella, Cheddar, or Parmesan. Or a mix of the three)

crushed garlic (I used a garlic press)

Directions

1. Put desired amount of flour in a bowl. For one, I use about 1/2 cup of flour. Start with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix and if it's still too dry. Add more water by teaspoons and continue mixing. If too much water is added, simply mix in a bit of flour. It's the right consistency when the dough is slightly sticky to the touch. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until is soft and smooth. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
2. Take 1 1/2 to 2 inches ball of dough and roll out as thin as you can. Sprinkle a bit of garlic evenly on top. Then add salt, pepper, and cheese evenly on surface as well.  Leave about 1/2 inch of untouched dough along the edge. 
3. Start from the bottom and roll upwards so it forms a long cylinder. Start with one end and roll inwards so it starts looking like snail or cinnamon roll. Press down with the palm of your hands so it flattens the snail. Roll the dough as thin as you can. This is important, because if it's too thick you'll get burnt cheese and raw dough.
4. Sprinkle cheese on top and press into the dough with palms of your hand. (Scroll to bottom to see visually what I'm referring to)
5. Heat skillet over low heat. It's ready when water is sprinkled and immediately sizzles. Don't add oil to the skillet. Once the pancake is added to the pan, the cheese will release enough oil to prevent it from sticking. Place a  pancake in skillet, you know it's ready to flip when the cheese on top begins to melt. Flip pancake. Wait 40 seconds  and check to see if the bottom is nicely browned. 
6. You're done. Serve with apple slices. A different form of cheese and crackers!

Step #4 Sprinkling cheese and pressing into pancake

I can't wait for the holidays. [Molasses Oatmeal Raisin Cookies]

My first memory of oatmeal cookies were the ones my mom made. She didn't use real butter, halved the sugar, and added extra oatmeal. The results were super crispy granola like cookies. I didn't enjoy them at all.

Then I had my first taste of store brought oatmeal raisin cookies and I nearly fainted. You mean oatmeal cookies weren't always crispy? They weren't always hard and lacked sweetness and butter? You mean oatmeal can ACTUALLY taste delicious? Talk about a reality check.

It turns out that my favorite ones are chewy oatmeal cookies filled with raisins and cinnamon. If I crave for sweetness, I definitely would bake my white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies. That's an orgasm right there. I went to the bookstore recently and found a molasses oatmeal raisin cookies recipe. I love the aroma and flavor profile of molasses so I knew I had to try the recipe.

This recipe is a winner if you enjoy the taste of molasses, spices, and chewy cookies. If Thanksgiving and Christmas had a cookie as a mascot, this would be it. From the first taste, it brings back the memories of the holidays.

Molasses Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
adapted from a cookie book from Border's (shame on me for not writing down author/title)

Note: There is a hint of salt in the cookies. If you don't enjoy that, lower the salt to 1/2 tsp.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
6 TBSP molasses
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup walnuts/pecans, chopped
1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add molasses and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
4. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Add to creamed mixture.
6. Stir in oats, nuts, and raisins.
7. Drop teaspoonfuls of cookies on a baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 10 minutes.

Do you have another voice in your head? [Candied Walnuts Recipe]

Toasting walnuts.

Regardless of where I am or what I'm doing, my mom's voice is in my head telling me what to do and giving her critiques of me. She's harsh. Often times, I hear "You're not good enough" or "What's the point of that? It's useless." The voice in my head is never positive. Without realizing it, I have carried this voice with me throughout my years and I don't think it's done me any good. Yes, it's kept me out of trouble, but my confidence and self-esteem is shot. Trying activities or engaging in situations outside of my comfort zone is terrifying and my first thought is always that I'll fail. To get past that point and start chasing my dreams is difficult. I can often feel her unhappy gaze on the back of my head. I am accustomed to following my mom's shadow and I often struggle to come up with what I want and not what she thinks I should do.

I love watching sugar suddenly turn into liquid form.

My current job situation brings me joy, but she doesn't approve of it. I'm still trying to figure out how to find a happy medium for myself and for my mother. Despite the negativity, I still love her and I show it to her by making food whether is baking or cooking her a meal.

Recently, we had leftover salad ingredients so I decided to create a gourmet salad with garlic bread. I know my mom loves walnuts so I can candied it. She fell in love with the candied walnuts and said it was her favorite part of the meal.

Mom's salad: egg, onions, cranberries, candied walnuts, & mixed greens with sourdough garlic bread.

Candied walnuts.

Candied Walnuts

Note: I don't like my walnuts too sweet, but feel free to the increase the sugar up to 40g (3 1/2 TBSP).

Ingredients
50g (1/2 cup) raw walnuts
30g (2 1/2 TBSP) sugar
pinch of salt

Directions

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Toss occasionally to prevent burning. Toast until hot to the touch and crispy.
3. When the walnuts are done, put it in a bowl.
4. In the same skillet, add the sugar and salt. Keep the heat on medium until the sugar starts melting and turning into a light tan. (A Tip: Swirl the pan so the sugar melts evenly and turns color uniformly) Lower the heat to low. When it turns into a darker shade, add the walnuts.
5. Mix well and let it take on a dark amber before pouring the walnuts onto a parchment paper.
6. Allow the walnuts to cool then break into pieces.
7. Best if used within the same day.

Can't wait for next year's camping trip! [Simple Cracker Recipe]

Our backyard for the weekend.

The damage to the cans with our arsenal.

When my boyfriend first told me about the camping trip, I was reluctant to go and I made a huge deal out of it. I was worried about bugs, safety, and being clean. My mind was on "Let's think about everything that can possibly go wrong and worry myself to death." About 2 weeks before leaving, I wasn't stressed about the trip anymore and I was ready to go. The night before leaving, I was excited and could barely sleep.

Fire in her natural beauty.

Wow. The camping trip from this past weekend was amazing. I never thought I would have so much fun outdoors. I didn't worry at all. I went with the flow and it felt great to be away from civilization. I jumped from a rock into the water and nearly froze my butt off. I started shaking like chihuahua. Now, I know why those tiny things shake so much. We also found a secluded hillside and shot at beer cans and paper targets. The best part was chopping and splitting firewood. It's a great way workout I tell ya! And there's nothing more satisfying than getting the perfect hit so that the firewood splits all the way down to the bottom so the two pieces fly in opposite directions. Gorgeous.

The food was a carnivore's dream. We had so much. There were patties, sausages, drumsticks, wings, ribs, and bacon. Meat in every single meal. The amount of meat I consumed was enough to last me 2 weeks. I certainly wasn't used to the protein intake. By the second day, I wasn't pooping right. The only veggies I had a chance to eat was a tiny bit of green beans, broccoli cheese, and a lot of salad mix.

Hamburger for lunch.

Pasta, green beans, and chicken (still on the grill) for dinner.

Sausage sandwich for lunch.

My last photo of our trip. Lake Spaulding.

On our drive back home, I was already brainstorming food ideas for the next trip like grilled corn, baby carrots, and crackers. We had four bags of chips that we killed, but I think some homemade crackers next time will also do us some good.

Simple Cracker Recipe

Note: I did not come up with this recipe. I found it online 2 years ago, but I did not bookmark the URL. Please let me know who the original author is if you know.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP olive oil
4 TBSP water
1 tsp seasoning (My favorite to use is curry powder)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Mix 1 cup flour, salt, and oil.
3. Add 3 TBSP water and seasoning. Mix well. Add more water or flour until it makes a compact ball.
4. Roll out thin.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until brown.

How to shorten the lifespan of your hand mixer. [Castella (Japanese Sponge Cake) Recipe]

We recently acquired a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer at the school I work at. Excited by the new purchase, my coworker and I took it on a test run with our students. We made strawberry thumbprint cookies and egg white cake. I'm pretty sure I wet myself when I used the new tool to dominate the egg whites. It's a beast and I'd do anything to get one into my house. After the near death experience for my hand mixer during the creation of marshmallows, I thought about purchasing a stand mixer. After using and witnessing the speed, power, efficiency, and sexiness of a stand mixer, it's not an "if" anymore. It is a MUST!

Too bad I didn't have a stand mixer in my possession when I was making the castella sponge cake, because the technique this recipe required nearly choked the life out of my hand mixer. The hand mixer was agreeable, felt healthy, and worked well in the beginning, but at the 15 minute mark, the mixer began wheezing. By 20 minutes, it was begging for a break. When 30 minutes hit, the mixer was coughing, grinding it's motor, and running a high fever. Lucky for me, the batter reached the proper consistency before the mixer experienced a heart attack.

Was the near death experience with my mixer worth it? Yes. The cake was chewy and dense with a lovely scent of honey sweetness. It was a tad too sweet for me so I will probably cut down on the honey glaze next time or add matcha powder into the batter to help cut the sweetness. (I did mix some of the leftover batter with matcha powder and I loved the taste of it.)

Kasutera (Castella)
originally from JustHungry

My Notes
(1) Please read recipe completely before beginning.
(2) Please use a stand mixer if you don't want to shorten the lifespan of your hand mixer.
(3) If using a hand mixer, use the largest bowl you can find, the batter will expand considerably. Near the end,  the batter was on the very edge of the bowl and bits of it was sloshing out.
(4) A 8x8 inch dish works fine, you'll have some leftover batter that can be baked in ramekins.
(5) A gallon sized Ziploc bag fits a 8x8 inch cake.

Ingredients
8 whole "large" (55g) eggs
300g (10.5 oz) raw cane sugar (In a pinch, use regular granulated sugar), plus a little extra sugar for sprinkling
200g (7 oz) all-purpose or bread flour (not cake flour), sift twice
100cc (about 1/2 cup, or 3.5 fluid oz) milk
4 TBSP honey, plus one extra TBSP. for the top

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F, or 150°C / 300°F if you're using a convection oven.
2. Cut the parchment paper so that it's large enough to fit the bottom and sides of the cake pan with a little excess. Fold it in until it completely covers the bottom and sides, leaving a little hanging over. (To make it stick to the pan, smear a little butter or shortening on the pan first.) Sprinkle a little sugar over the bottom, on top of the paper.
3. Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
4. Mix together the milk and 4 tablespoons of honey. It helps if you warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave.
5. Break the eggs into the bowl and whisk. Add the sugar. Start whisking this while holding the bowl over the pot of hot water. As soon as the mixture feels lukewarm to the touch, take it off the water and continue whisking. If it cools down again, put it back on the hot pot of water to warm it up. To get the best texture, whisk mixture on lowest setting; it took me around 35 minutes on the lowest setting. If using a stand mixer, take the bowl and whisk by hand while it warms up above the pot. Once mixture is warm, return it to the stand and whisk on low until cool, then return it back to pot. 
6. Continue this process until the batter is thick and forms soft peaks when you lift up the whisk. Final test: write initials on surface with whisk and the batter should hold it long enough to be read before it disappears. 
7. Whisk in the milk and honey mixture. Add the flour a tablespoon at a time, beating on lowest setting until there are no pockets of flour (you can also mix this part by hand).
8. Pour the batter to the very top of the pan. Bake in oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Check by sticking a knife or toothpick in middle. If it comes out clean, it's done. 
9. Five minutes before cake is done, mix together the 1 tablespoon of honey and a water, to make a glaze. Warm it up in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. 
10. As soon as the cake is out of the oven, brush the top with the honey-water glaze.
11. When it's cool enough to handle but still warm (about 15 minutes), lift it out of the pan, paper and all, and put into a plastic bag. Seal the bag and put into the refrigerator, for at least several hours. This step is critical to ensure the kasutera has a moist texture. If you let it cool to room temperature before putting it in the plastic bag, it will end up a bit dry.
12. To serve, use a very sharp knife to make clean cuts. Use only one cutting motion for each side of the cake. Do not use a sawing motion if you don't want an ugly edge to your cake. 

Delicious, but Ugly Series #1 [Caramelized Rum Bananas and Peanut Butter Toast]

I have come to the conclusion that making food look sexy is not one of my talents. It's no surprise that I have improved since the beginning, but making food look good is tough. I struggle to figure out what I want and often times, I don't KNOW what I want when I photograph a dish. All I know is that the dish tastes good and I want to document the recipe.

Sadly, on some days, my food looks more awful than usual. Thus, this debut: Delicious, but Ugly Series, which begins with Caramelized Rum Bananas and Peanut Butter Toast.

Delicious, but Ugly #1: Rum Bananas, Peanut Butter, and Toast

Caramelized Rum Bananas and Peanut Butter Toast
Serves 1

Ingredients
3 to 4 slices of sourdough baguette
peanut butter
1 TBSP of turbinado sugar
1/2 a banana, cut into thick slices
2 to 3 TBSP dark rum, to taste
cinnamon, optional

Directions

1. Toast sliced sourdough baguette in toaster/toaster oven.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle 1/2 TBSP of sugar in pan and add bananas-- flat side down.
3. When sugar is bubbling and color is showing on banana (check by flipping a slice over), sprinkle the rest of the sugar and flip the rest of the bananas over to caramelize the other side. 
4. When sugar is bubbling again and bananas are caramelized, add the rum (Be careful, the rum will sizzle violently.) and swirl the liquid around in the pan. Once it has stopped sizzling, turn off the heat and coat bananas in the sauce.
5. Take the warmed slices of bread from toaster, spread with peanut butter, and top with the bananas. Optional: Sprinkle with cinnamon. Enjoy~

- SimplyPiee

Banana Cake (Updated version 3.0)

the frozen raspberries make my cake look sickly.

I'm always coming back to this recipe, because it can be a breakfast bread, a snack, or even a dessert when paired with vanilla ice cream. It's also flexible and forgiving, which means I can experiment and it usually turns out pretty well. I don't think I've ever followed this recipe to the T. It's always evolving and changing. I'm beginning to find combinations that I truly enjoy.

One of my favorite spins was when I added cream cheese filling. Omg, it was divine. Scrumptions. It was perfect. I made it on a Saturday afternoon before I went off to visit my boo. I stayed over at his place and decided that I would take photos on Sunday when I returned home. I returned home to a clear kitchen table. Yes. My lovely JSB and papa devoured the cake, all 3/4ths of it.

This new rendition wasn't loved by my fellow family members as much. I'm unsure of the reason, but my boo and I enjoyed it immensely. I gave him nearly half of the cake. He loved it especially the oomph from the chocolate chips. To me, this version reflects my growth in the kitchen. I'm adding new textures and elevating flavors compared to previous versions. The cinnamon sugar topping gives the cake a nice crunch when you bite into it and the addition of brown sugar and brown butter adds a subtle complexity to the flavor. Hell, I'm even putting more effort into plating, but I don't think my creative eye is working very well as shown in the photos. I'm trying here!

Man, that frozen raspberry is distracting. >.>

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Banana Cake
Updated from this recipe

Ingredients
3 TBSP of butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
2 TBSP cinnamon apple sauce
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 egg
dash of milk
2 1/2 bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
scant 1/4 cup of wheat germ
scant 1/4 cup of flax seed
scant 3/4 cup of rolled oats
1 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp of salt
a hand full of chocolate chips

Topping:
1 1/2 TBSP of turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp of cinnamon (yes, I LOVE my cinnamon)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Swirl the butter occasionally. Wait until the butter turns into a brown shade with a nutty aroma, then turn off the heat.
3. Add butter to brown sugar. Mix. Add the applesauce, cinnamon, and egg to the mixture. Mix well.
4. Stir in milk, bananas, and vanilla. Combine.
5. Add in the rest of the ingredients: flour, wheat germ, flax seed, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt. Mix. 
6. Gently fold chocolate chips into mixture.
7. Grease and flour an 8 inch pie/cake pan. Pour mixture in. For topping, combine sugar and cinnamon and evenly distribute it on the surface.
8. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when the cake is poked.

My attempt at plating with banana ice cream to accompany the cake. Not that pretty, but the ice cream was delish.

Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients
1 frozen banana, slices
1/4 tsp of cinnamon

Directions

1. Prior to freezing the banana, cut it into slices. 
2. Put banana and cinnamon in food processor. Start the processor and eventually the banana will reach an ice cream consistency.

Options for flavoring: chocolate shavings, peanut butter, Nutella...the possibilities are endless!

Apple Juice Stixs

Awhile back, I mentioned that I was frugal in the kitchen. What I'm about to show you next is a tad embarrassing. There should be a limit on frugality, but nope. I know no bounds. In my last post, I posted a recipe on how to make Apple Puffs and I made a side note that one should reserve the juice from the filling. Why? To make these:

Apple Juice Stixs: Appl-ey and cinnamon-ny

Don't give me that look.  Yes, it's not the most gorgeous creation. Yes, it looks rather unappealing, but I am very proud of myself. To create Apple Stix, I guesstimated everything. Did I know what I was doing? Not exactly, but I did have a purpose.

After I made the filling for the apple puffs, I tasted the juice and it was sickly sweet, but I didn't want to waste it. (Case evidence on being frugal #1) I pondered and munched on an apple puff as I tried to come up with a creative solution. A-ha! Candy!! It's so sweet, it would be perfect for candy. I didn't have enough juice to cover the bottom of the pot so I added a bit more sugar and water and started boiling away. I was aiming for the Hard Crack stage (300° - 310°F), but time was working against me. Stupid me thought that I could get the sugar to reach that temperature in 40 minutes. When 40 minutes hit, it was at the soft ball stage, and I didn't have time because I had a meeting to attend. I had two options at this point: it was waste it or let it cool down and see what I created. I opted for the latter.

My  next dilemma. Where and how should I shape the 242°F sugar?? Aiiiyaaah. The only option: parchment paper. Lucky me and my need to keep all things, I had scraps of parchment paper that I stored in a container for moments like these where I didn't need large sheets of parchment paper. (Case evidence on being frugal #2). I carefully poured the mixture into the creased parchment paper and let it cool down.

Check out the texture!

The verdict: it's an extremely soft and chewy candy, because I only managed to get it to the firm ball stage. It definitely works your mouth and it's great for people that like to chew. The taste of the stix was surprisingly pleasant. It had a sweet aroma of apples with a hint of cinnamon.

Apple Juice Stix

Ingredients
leftover juice from apple puffs
sugar
water

Directions

1. If there isn't much juice left, add more sugar about 1/4 to 1/2 cup and enough water to cover the bottom of the pot.
2. Boil on medium high until the temperature reaches 245°F. (Next time, I'm going to try reaching the hard crack stage: 300°F to 310°F for a lollipop texture.) Mixture will appear dark brown almost burnt looking, but I assure that it's not.
3. Pour sugar into creased strips of parchment paper and allow it to cool. If mixture firms up too much during the pouring process, warm it up on the stove until it reaches a pourable consistency.

Candied Ginger (Crystallized Ginger)

I'm on a ginger roll. My last couple of entries had a component of ginger and this entry also involves ginger. I gotta admit that ginger is one of my favorite spices. It makes for a wonderful dessert like my all time favorite: ginger milk pudding.

This recipe makes ginger the star, because it's the best way to munch on ginger while also satisfying my sweet tooth.

Candied Ginger (Crystallized Ginger)
From David Lebovitz

Ingredients

• 1 pound (500g) fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 cups (800g) sugar, plus additional sugar for coating the ginger slices, if desired
• 4 cups (1l) water
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Slice the ginger as thinly as possible. It can’t be too thin, so use a sharp knife.
2. Put the ginger slices in a non-reactive pot, add enough water to cover the ginger, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let ginger simmer for ten minutes. Drain, and repeat, simmering the ginger slices one more time. (Next time, I'm just going to simmer the ginger once...I prefer a stronger ginger bite)
3. Mix the sugar and 4 cups (1l) water in the pot, along with a pinch of salt and the ginger slices, and cook until the temperature reaches 225F (106C.)
4. Remove from heat and let stand for at least an hour, although I often let it sit overnight. Or if you want to coat the slices with sugar, drain very well while the ginger is hot, so the syrup will drain away better.
5. Store ginger slices in its syrup, or toss the drained slices in granulated sugar. Shake off excess sugar, and spread the ginger slices on a cooling rack overnight, until they’re somewhat dry. The sugar can be reused in a batter or ice cream base, or for another purpose.

Storage: The ginger, packed in its syrup, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one year. If you’re concerned with it crystallizing, add a tablespoon or two of corn syrup or glucose to the sugar syrup at the beginning of step #3. If tossed in sugar, the pieces can be stored at room temperature for a few months.



I don't know if anyone is going to read this section, but I need to rant. Have you ever had a toxic friend? The one that brings you up and down and drives you crazy, but you can't seem to get away. You always seem to subject yourself to these negative encounters with this friend. The reason why you can't just cut the friendship is because it's family and you're stuck. Oye. What a dilemma it creates.

My First and Only BIG SNACK!

I had a blast with JSB today playing monopoly and spending time with her. It's a rare moment that I appreciate. After she returned home from the dentist, she made me lunch while I worked on making coffee ice cream and raisin bread. When JSB shows me these warm gestures, it makes me feel fuzzy and warm on the inside and I really appreciate her efforts.

A long
     long
          long
           time ago...

(say around Year 2010)

JSB surprised me with cinnamon sugar popcorn. That girl knows that I love my sugar and cinnamon especially Saigon cinnamon.

Bubble, my nickname.

Crispy popcorn paired with the caramelized sweetness of sugar and finishes with a note of cinnamon = my ultimate snack.

Om nom nom.

Even though JSB made me my ultimate snack, it's a tease, because there is a chance that it'll never happen again. Food requests will only encourage JSB to tease you and a reluctance to make it again. However, if I wait patiently and hope, there is a greater possibility that what I crave will appear again in my life.

Working hard on my note.

What I love more than popcorn are notes. Since JSB made me a "Big Snack," I demanded a note, because I always wrote her a note when I made her mini-snacks. Another difference between our snacks is that my snacks are too small for her while her portions are ginormous!! >.>