Keep it Simple. [Cinnamon Raisin Pretzel Sticks]

Raisins are delicious healthy morsels that I can't get enough in my baked goods. I love the sweetness and chewiness they provide. I already have a default raisin bread recipe that my family enjoys. I don't care much for it, because it contains whole wheat. Bleech. Today I decided to make something for myself instead of catering to my family's taste buds.

Wow. This creation was right up my alley. Chewy pretzels with yummy raisins and a hint of cinnamon sugar. What more can I ask for? Actually, there is one thing. This creation certainly isn't as moist as the original recipe. I suspect it's because the raisins weren't rehydrated so it absorbed all the moisture from the dough. In the recipe below, I suggest that the raisins be given time to rehydrate.

Cinnamon Raisin Pretzel Sticks
adapted from SugarLaw

Note: These pretzels are chewy with a hint of cinnamon. It's not overwhelmingly sweet so if you have a sweet tooth, double the amount of sugar/cinnamon mixture for sprinkling. 

Ingredients
1 tsp active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1/3 cup warm water

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of raisins, sprinkled with water and allow it to sit for 30 minutes

1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sugar

3 TBSP baking soda
3 cups hot water

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in water and pinch of sugar for 10 minutes.
2. Mix flour with cinnamon until evenly distributed. Add sugar, salt, canola oil, vanilla extract, and yeast. Knead until combined, a few minutes. 
3. Make a ball and flatten it into a pancake. Sprinkle half of the raisins on there and fold the dough several times to incorporate the raisins into the dough. Repeat this step one more time with the rest of the raisins. 
4. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F.
6. When dough has risen, pinch into 6 portions and roll into a long strand.
7. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Stir baking soda until dissolved. Dip Pretzel in mixture for 15 seconds. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (mix 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp sugar).
8. Bake for 8 minutes or until browned.

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 cut pasta by hand (a step-by-step picture tutorial)

My favorite time of the year is August when the big back-to-school sale occurs. I love that $1 can buy me an insane amount of supplies. I have bought notebooks, filler paper, and folders for 1 cent. Today I managed to purchase two glue sticks and one 4 oz. school glue for 50 cents.

When I was in elementary school, my parents didn't buy me over priced Crayola or Lisa Franks school supplies.  Instead, I used off brands that worked just as well and I learned that you don't always need the name brand. As a result, I feel strongly about improvising to get the job done instead of buying tools for every single task.

Since I don't make pasta that frequently, I never purchased a pasta machine. When it comes to cutting the pasta, it's a painstaking task that takes between 30 minutes and an hour depending on the batch. I use a knife to cut so the dough bunches up, tears, and gets stretched out. 

One day when I was ripping paper by creasing the edges, I thought, why can't I do that with the pasta? The technique I'm about to show you is all about creasing and ripping so the process is faster and more efficient  with minimal effort and time.

Roll out the dough.

Using the edge of a pastry scraper, put pressure into the pasta dough and slide/drag the pastry scraper down to create a line in the dough. It doesn't need to go all the way through the dough.

When you have finished "drawing" lines, gently pull the noodle away from the rest of the dough. It should break away easily -- like tearing paper with a perforated edge. 

Whoo. The batch of completed noodles.

Magic [Chocolate Mousse from Water and Chocolate]

Magic. The art of using illusions to make the impossible a reality. I thought that I would do my own magic trick in the kitchen with only chocolate and water to create mousse. What? Trust me; it works.

When I first heard about this technique, I was skeptical. I had the impression that mixing water and chocolate would ruin the $10 bar of chocolate. It turns out that mixing melted chocolate and water and then whisking vigorously will cause something to happen to the water molecules, which in effect stabilizes the chocolate and creates the mousse-like texture.

This was a fun experiment. It's mind boggling to see the liquid mixture suddenly thicken and resemble a creamy mousse. Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, it has the exact texture of mousse. However, if you let it sit for more than 30 minutes, it will firm up and take on the texture of ganache. The flavor is of pure intense chocolate. Because the mousse texture doesn't last long, it's best if made prior to serving.

A cake layered with this as the filling will certainly taste wonderful. You can also pipe this mixture out as decoration or fill cupcakes and cream puffs. So many possibilities....it's time for another experiment in the kitchen!

Chocolate Mousse made from Water and Chocolate
Recipe from Beyond Baked Beans
Video of Heston Blumenthal making it with an explanation

Ingredients (Original)
230mL Water
270g Chocolate, 70%

Ingredients (Adjusted to Serve 6)
100mL Water
117g Chocolate, 70%

Note: (1) It is very rich so less is more. (2) Be observant while whisking. It will quickly go from creamy to ganache-like, which is no good. (3) The best part: if you make an error, simply melt the mixture and whisk again. 

Directions

1. In a pot, add water and chocolate. Have heat on low and stir occasionally until melted.
2. Gather two bowls. Fill one bowl with ice and water. Place another bowl on top and pour the chocolate mixture into the top bowl.
3. Begin whisking quickly. In approximately 2 to 3 minutes, the mixture will thicken up. Once it thickens up, decrease speed of whisking and stop when the chocolate becomes creamy and leaves a slight trail. If you over whip, it will stiffen and have a grainy ganache-like texture. To restart, melt it in a double boiler. Then begin whisking in an ice bath again.
4. Serve mousse in a small cup topped with fruits.
5. For best results, I recommend making the mousse prior to serving to retain the creamy texture. 

Dessert for Two #1 - [Pavlova and Lemon Curd]

Sometimes you only want to make enough dessert for two, but changing the ratios of recipes can be a headache. To help you out, this recipe was created specifically to feed enough for two individuals. (If you want a larger yield, you're S.O.L.) I present to you the "Dessert for Two" series.

I have always wanted to make pavlova, but didn't like that most recipes made huge pavlovas or many mini ones. Then I thought, why can't I just use 1 egg white and make a pavlova out of it? I took that route. The pavlova came out crisp on the outside and soft and pillow-ey on the inside. I paired the pavlova with lemon curd to cut the sweetness. Great Combo I must say! Topping it with blueberries was a winner.

Note: (1) Please excuse the awkward measurements of ingredients. (2) I used the left over yolk and half an egg for french toast!

Pavlova
adapted from Donna Hay

Ingredients
1 egg white
3 TBSP caster sugar
1/2 TBSP corn starch, sifted
1/2 tsp white vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Whip egg white to stiff peaks. Gradually add in sugar until shiny and glossy.
3. Mix in corn starch and vinegar until combined. Put mixture on parchment paper and make a slight indentation in the middle.
4. Reduce heat to 250°F and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. When you touch the pavlova, it should be firm to the the touch. Turn off heat and let it cool in the oven.

Lemon Curd

Note: To measure out half an egg, whisk the egg in a bowl so that the yolk and whites are combined. Option #1: You can either eyeball it with a spoon. Half an egg for me was approximately 2.5 - 3 TBSP. Option #2: If you have the time, take a scale and measure the egg. Split the egg into 2 equal portions. 

Ingredients
half an egg
2 TBSP sugar
juice of 1 small lemon, strained to rid of pulp/seeds
1 tsp of butter

Directions

1. Whisk egg, sugar, and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl set above simmering water in a pot (or a double-boiler). Stir occasionally so the mixture doesn't curdle. Stop when it has thicken, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add butter and stir. Strain the mixture.
3. Put saran wrap right on the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming.

To assemble
Smooth lemon curd on top of the pavlova. Top with fresh berries. In my case, I used blueberries.

A rough weekend = A trip to the Farmer's Market [Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp]

I was having a rough weekend so I decided to head out to the farmer's market at 9 a.m. to calm my mind. Navigating through the narrow pathways between the stalls, I craned my neck around passerbays to see the fresh produce. I noticed the usual summer fare: strawberries, spring greens, tomatoes, and cherries. As I was about to head out after purchasing 2 pounds of strawberries, I noticed rhubarb hiding at a small booth and my fate was sealed. I would be would be making rhubarb and strawberry crisp in a few hours.

I have never tried or touched rhubarb before, but I was surprised by how closely it resembled celery in shape and texture. The color is gorgeous as well.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp
adapted from Joy of Baking's Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts and Apple Crisp

Ingredients

Filling
1 lb rhubarb, cut into 1 inches pieces
1 lb strawberries, cut into 1 inches pieces
1/2 cup (or less depending how sweet your strawberries are) sugar
1 TBSP (10g) cornstarch

Topping
70g flour
50g white sugar
55g brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into pieces
55g old-fashioned rolled oats

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Mix rhubarb, strawberries, and sugar in a large bowl and let it macerate for 30 minutes. Add flour and mix thoroughly.
3. In the meantime, combine flour, white and brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, butter, and oats in a bowl. With clean hands, pinch the mixture together until crumbly in texture. 
4. In a 8x8 dish, pour the filling in and evenly spread the topping all over the surface. 
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Allow 30 minutes for the crisp to cool down before serving. I actually prefer the crisp the next day after it has been refrigerated.