Tiramisu

So I decided to make Tiramisu for Christmas dinner and used this recipe that I thought was pretty easy.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/classic-tiramisu/

UNFORTUNATELY, the recipe called for 2 (12 ounce) packages of lady fingers which is about 4 times more ladyfingers than you need so I got a LOT of practice in.

This is the final recipe that I used based off this link and the reviews.

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
1 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 (3 ounce) packages ladyfingers
1/2 cup water
instant coffee
1/3 cup coffee flavored liqueur (optional)
unsweetened cocoa powder
semi-sweet chocolate (optional)

Recipe:

1. Heat the water and make "strong" coffee. I added about 3 heaping teaspoons. Set aside to cool.
2. Place the sugar in a double boiler and add a little bit of water (like 2 Tbsp) and mix over medium heat until sugar melts and it doesn't feel grainy.
   
3. Add egg yolk and mix until thick and lemon colored.
4. Add mascarpone cheese to mixture and beat until combined. Put in fridge for now.
   It doesn't look like it'll mix well but just keep mixing.

   

5. Use a hand blender to beat whipped cream to stiff peaks.
   

6. Gently fold yolk mixture into whipped cream. Keep folding until the color is uniform with no streaks of white or yellow.

   

7. Add coffee liqueur to strong coffee mixture (optional)
8. Line bottom of pan with lady fingers. I used a cheesecake spring pan so that I can easily open it later. You can also use a glass pan or bowl.
   

9. Brush coffee mixture on top of ladyfingers. This is less messy than dipping the ladyfingers.
   

10. Add half of the cream on top of the ladyfingers.
11. Repeat by lining ladyfingers again, brush coffee and top with remaining cream.
    

    

12. Using a sifter, cover with cocoa powder
    

13. (Optional) Top with chocolate curls/shavings. Here's a good video of a simple method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93L6KuMHhPk
14. Let it rest in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. Enjoy!
    

Mr. Doe-nut Attempt 1 & 2

Mr. Donut Attempt #1

Using this recipe
http://cookpad.com/recipe/2271655

I attempted to make Mr. Donut.

80g Glutinous Rice Flour
50g Bread Flour
50g Cake Flour
40g sugar
5g Baking powder
1 egg
100ml milk

After beating the egg in the milk, I added it to the dry ingredients. I stirred while adding the liquid so it ended up really wet. I had to add more rice flour the dough solid enough to form balls.

This batch was super sticky so I had to constantly coat my hand with rice flour. After forming some balls, I connected each ball until 6 of them formed a circle onto a piece of parchment paper, Then I fried them at around 340°F (recipe says 170°C).

My first batch was undercooked even though it floated up and the color was nice and brown. One of them burst open and it looked like my Mister Donut had a tumor...





Mr. Donut Attempt #2

Using the same recipe, I poured all the liquid in the center this time and slowly incorporated the flour into the center. It wasn't super wet this time and I didn't need to add any extra flour. I actually had to knead it a little to mix it up.

I decided to make smaller balls this time (around the size of a quarter) to allow the middle to cook better. Since this batch wasn't as sticky, I just had to lightly coat the palm of one hand to form the balls.

Keeping the oil to around 340°F, I cooked these for about 3 minutes while holding them down with a strainer (since they kept on floating to the top).

These were cooked well (or perhaps a tad overcooked) but they were heavy and not chewy like the Mr. Donut I know and love. I was left with a rough feeling in my mouth (similar to when I eat spinach)... but I'm not sure if it was from the donut since I just ate dinner too.

Quick Miso Salmon with Couscous

This was a quick dinner that took very little time to prepare or cook! Worked perfectly because I came home late and was  hungry/tired.

Quick Miso Salmon with Couscous

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="temporary photo here until i take my own!"][/caption]

You'll need:

Couscous (this is from the preparations on the box)
1 cup Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Couscous
2 tbs. butter
1 cup water

Miso Salmon
4 Salmon fillets
2 tbs. Miso paste
2 tbs. soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs. hot water

Preheat your boiler and make the miso "glaze". Combine everything except the salmon and whisk well. Spread the glaze over the salmon and stick it in the boiler for about 5-10 minutes. The timing depends on how thick your salmon fillets are and how well you like your salmon cooked. Spread more glaze on it halfway through cooking. Be careful to line your sheet with some foil or something because the glaze will burn and it will be a huge hassle to clean!

So my bf works in the same building as Trader Joe's so I had him pick up some of their couscous. He picked the whole wheat small version (see sample picture here) which I ended up loving because it was filling and super easy to make. You boil one cup of water, 2 tbs butter and some salt. Then add 1 cup couscous, stir well and steam for a couple minutes. Fluff it with a fork and you're done!

Improvising part...
Now my bf loves sauce so I decided to make a lot. I used about a cup of water, kept the same 1/4 cup brown sugar, about 2-3 tbs of soy sauce and 3-4 tbs of miso paste. I threw it all in a pan and heated it up so that the brown sugar would melt and glaze. Be careful not to overheat/burn it as it was thicken up a lot from the sugar. I had some really thin salmon pieces that I felt were too thin to put with the others so i cooked those in the "soup" for a minute and they turned out excellent as well.

I placed the couscous on the plate... drizzled some extra miso glaze on it and topped with salmon. Very yummy. We ate it so fast I forgot to take pictures but will do it next time.

That's Some Spicy Meatball!

This is where I found this recipe. If it turns out well, I'm going to improvise it a little based on some delicious meatballs I had at a restaurant. But for now, I'm just following the recipe!

Horseradish Meatball Recipe

Serving size: 18

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork or turkey
• SAUCE:
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Here's a picture of the ingredients you might not know. The bread crumbs can be any type, it doesn't matter. Hot sauce can be any type as well. I don't use hot sauce so I just got a cheap Jewel brand. Ground mustard you can find in the spice aisle. Worcestershire, chili sauce and horseradish you can find by the sauce (Was by the BBQ sauce aisle in Jewel). I used sriracha because we already have that but I think you can use whatever.

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
   
2. Crumble meat over mixture; mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. You want the balls to be even so that all of them are finished cooking at the same time. An easy  trick is to use a melon baller. My meatballs turned out to be around 1".
   
3. Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until no longer pink. I'm going to change mine up a little now. This is for a SuperBowl party so I thought that was bacon worthy. I don't really think you need a greased baking pan because (a) bacon is super fatty and will produce a lot of run-off fat (b) meat is pretty fatty too so that will also produce a lot of fat and (c) if you use a non-stick or glass pan, I think you'll be fine. Anyway... I bought a package of bacon and turn them in half. Then I wrapped it around my meatball and held it there with a toothpick. Since my meatballs were smaller than the recommended size... it was a bit overcooked but it was super delicious still because of the bacon!
   
4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. I didn't like how my sauce was "chunky" from the onions so I threw it in a blender and liquified everything. I got a nice uniform color and a beautiful sauce. It was a bit spicy for me so I added another half cup of water. I also had way too much sauce leftover so I could probably cut down this sauce recipe in half next time.
   
5. Add meatballs; stir gently to coat. I think I had too much sauce left because I literally just dipped these meatballs in quickly and placed them in the pan for transportation. This was more than enough coating for me and it was a big hit!
   

Taro Tapioca Dessert

My siblings and I were eating at an old school chinese restaurant and got all of our oldies: beef stew casserole, yang chao fried rice, soft shell crab...etc.  At the end came the taro tapioca dessert. We were super excited because Chinese restaurants used to ALWAYS serve this at the end of the meal but we never see it now. Although it was nostalgic.. it was bland and rather tasteless.

Chinese New Year is coming up and my mom wanted each of us to bring a dish so I volunteered dessert as always. So I thought I would try to make my own taro tapioca dessert. Some online recipes led me to make this!

Note: There are large taro and small ones. Sometimes I only find the small ones at the Asian market so it's a bit more difficult because you don't get much out of those. I would suggest the large one if you can find them. This one was about 8 inches tall and I got about 8 cups out of it. The recipe is just a reference since you can add more for a stronger taro flavor.

Taro Coconut Tapioca Dessert

Ingredients for small pot. You can have more tapioca pearls, taro, coconut milk, or sugar based on your preference. This just kind of gives you a reference to start with. I double/triple this recipe when I'm bringing it to a party.

• 1/2 cup tapioca pearls
• 2-3 cups raw taro root cut into cubes (purple looks nicer but white or purple taro works)
• 1 (13.5-oz) can coconut milk (unsweeten)
• 1/3 cup rock sugar
• 1 cup water (optional)

Directions

Boil a small pot of water and add the tapioca pearls. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Cover the pan and let it stand for another 10 minutes or until most of the tapioca pearls are clear. Gently remove all excess water and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.

This is what it looks like when you first start.

This is what the pearls look like when it's close to done. The white inside gets smaller and smaller until it becomes completely clear. Stop the cooking when most of it is clear (some can still be a little bit white in the center). 

Use a larger pot and boil water. Add the raw taro root. Boil until the taro is tender and then drain the water. Mash it up like mashed potato based on your preference. I like a creamier texture so I use a puree immersion blender once I added some liquid in the next step. If you like chunks of taro, then I would suggest lightly mashing it up by hand. 

Add the coconut milk and rock sugar to the mashed taro and simmer until the sugar is completely melted. Taste it and alter it to your liking. Note that it should be a bit on the sweeter side because the tapioca will make it more bland. (I suggest getting the texture where you like because it's hard to mash/puree once the tapioca pearls are in.) For a soupier/creamier texture, I like to add a cup of water.

Add the tapioca pearls and stir. Taste it again and adjust to your liking. Serve immediately for best results. It looks like pudding once it gets cold and has a bit of a gritty feel but it goes away once you heat it back up. I like to have an extra can of coconut milk when I warm it up because I don't like to dilute the flavor too much.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Bisque

Ben and I tried some squash bisque at World Market before and loved it. I used this recipe and it was also delicious!

Squash Bisque

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and ground black pepper to taste
ground nutmeg to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Directions

1. Cut the squash in half and place on a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and then microwave until it is tender.
2. Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion in the butter and oil under tender.
3. Mix the carrots (I didn't have carrots so I added a little bit of brown sugar since I figured it was just to help sweeten the soup a little) and squash into the pot. Pour in vegetable stock, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender.
   
   
4. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup mixture until smooth. Return to the pot, and stir in the heavy cream. Heat through, but do not boil.
5. Add cream if desired.

The awesomeness of vinegar!

Found this article that I thought would come in handy later. Enjoy!
link here

Chances are you’ve got a big bottle of vinegar in your pantry right now that you only use it as a condiment. Prized for thousands of years, this fermented liquid was discovered by accident when products like wine, beer, and cider spoiled, turning them sour. But did you know that vinegar -- particularly the distilled white and apple cider varieties -- has hundreds of household, beauty, medicinal and even horticultural uses?

Here are 20 unusual, thrifty, and eco-friendly uses for vinegar that you may not have thought of.

1. Condition hair
Silky, shiny, buildup-free hair using a single cheap, natural product? Sign me up! It may sound odd, but using apple cider vinegar as a rinse after shampooing really does work like a dream. It removes residue from the hair shaft and closes the cuticles. Just add half a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of water, plus a few drops of essential oil if you like. Pour it on in the shower and then rinse it out. Sure, your hair will smell like salad dressing for a while, but once it’s dry, the smell dissipates.

2. Kill weeds
A few rogue weeds can wreak havoc in an otherwise flawless lawn, vegetable garden, or flowerbed and are especially annoying when popping up in the cracks of a sidewalk or driveway. Forget pricey weed killers full of toxic ingredients -- household vinegar really does kill unwanted plants; stronger vinegar made for horticultural use, which is 25% acetic acid, works even better.

3. Remove underarm stains
Unsightly sweat stains can really ruin an otherwise beautiful blouse. Ironically, if you use aluminum-based antiperspirants, they’re even more likely to appear, thanks to a reaction between aluminum compounds in these products and salts in your sweat. Spray full-strength white vinegar on the stain before washing, and it will disappear.

4. Soften fabrics
Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle, and not only will it prevent lint from clinging to your clothes and keep colors bright, it’ll also remove soap scum from both the clothes you’re washing and the washing machine itself. Vinegar is also recommended in place of dryer sheets -- simply add 3/4 cup to your washer during the final rinse cycle.

5. Remedy sore throats
Many people recommend sipping or gargling with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water to soothe a sore throat. Add a few tablespoons of honey (also a seriously versatile product!) to this mixture in order to make it even more effective and far more palatable.

6. Deter ants
Got trails of tiny ants weaving their way around your home? These annoying insects aren’t big fans of vinegar, so spraying a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water anywhere you have seen them can help encourage them to move out. The vinegar also erases the scent trails that they use to indicate sources of food to their brethren.

7. Soak sore muscles
Apple cider vinegar helps draw out lactic acid, which accumulates in muscles after exercise, causing that sore feeling. Mix a few tablespoons of vinegar into a cup of water, dip a cloth in the mixture, and apply it to sore areas for 20 minutes.

8. Freshen air
Whether it’s smoke, mildew, pet odor, or lingering whiffs of burnt casserole, bad smells can make a home less than welcoming. Store-bought air fresheners just cover up the smell with strong, clearly artificial scents, creating disturbing hybrid smells that only serve to worsen the situation. Acetic acid in vinegar absorbs odors, so spritzing it around the room will neutralize the smells. You can also use it to wipe down surfaces in the room that needs freshening.

9. Remove stickers
If you’re just getting around to removing that Kerry/Edwards decal from your bumper, or trying to peel a price tag off a new purchase, you’ll never guess what magic ingredient is about to make your life a lot easier. Warm a little bit of white vinegar on the stovetop or in the microwave and then dip a rag into it. Hold the rag over the sticker until it’s thoroughly saturated, and it will peel right off without leaving sticky residue behind. This trick also loosens wallpaper adhesive.

10. Cure hiccups
Most doctors claim that hiccup cures don’t actually work, but tell that to the thousands of people who swear by vinegar as a way to ease these involuntary spasms. It’s not clear how a shot of vinegar would actually help -- other than to distract you with its acidic flavor -- but next time you’ve got a bout of the hiccups, give it a try.

11. Clean crusty paintbrushes
So you forgot to clean your paintbrushes last time you used them, and now they’re so stiff and crusty, it seems that you’ll have to throw them away. Not so fast! Fill a saucepan with undiluted white vinegar and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Dip the paintbrushes into the boiling vinegar, one at a time, dragging the bristles along the bottom of the pan. Continue this process until the paint is dissolved.

12. Dissolve rust
The acetic acid in vinegar reacts with iron oxide to remove rust from small metal items like hinges, nuts and bolts. Simmer them in a saucepan full of vinegar, then rinse well with water to prevent the vinegar from further affecting the metal.

13. Eliminate stale odors
You know how lunchboxes and other food containers can take on a funny smell after a while? Vinegar can take care of that, too. Either wipe down the surface well with white vinegar or, in severe cases, leave a cloth soaked in vinegar in the container for a few hours to absorb the odors.

14. Remove mineral deposits
Calcium and lime deposits from hard water don’t just stain coffeemakers and bath tubs, they can actually clog showerheads and reduce dishwasher function. Run a mixture of half water, half white vinegar through your coffee machine to remove them. Use straight vinegar as a rinsing agent in your dishwasher to prevent buildup, and wrap a vinegar-soaked cloth around stained faucets until the deposits can be easily scrubbed away. To clean a clogged showerhead, remove it from the pipe and place it in a saucepan full of white vinegar. Simmer for just a few minutes, being careful not to allow it to boil, and then wash off the stains.

15. Neutralize spice in foods
You’ve got a dinner disaster on your hands: One too many shakes of cayenne powder has turned your award-winning chili into an inedible five-alarm blaze, and your guests are waiting at the table. Vinegar to the rescue! Add white or apple cider vinegar to your food, one teaspoon at a time, to neutralize the spice.

16. Prolong the life of cut flowers
Bouquets of cut flowers brighten a room all too briefly, often wilting after just a few days. Squeeze a little extra enjoyment out of your arrangements by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of water in the vase, which will keep them perky just a little bit longer.

17. Clean glass, plastic, chrome, and floors
A half-and-half solution of water and white vinegar will cut the grime on the shelves and walls of the refrigerator and eliminate spoiled-food smells too. Full-strength vinegar will remove tough smudges on glass and make porcelain sinks shine. Make it into a paste with a little baking soda to scrub chrome, or mix 1/3 white vinegar with 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and 3 drops of dishwashing liquid for an economical floor cleaner. Just be sure not to get vinegar on marble, granite, or slate surfaces.

18. Treat fungal infections
Fungal infections like athlete’s foot, toe nail fungus, and dandruff are definitely no fun. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar can both be applied topically to affected areas of the body to kill fungus. For foot-related ailments, soak in a solution of one part vinegar to five parts water for about 30 minutes a day.

19. Tenderize and kill bacteria in meat
Marinate meat overnight in apple cider vinegar, and it will be delectably tender. This can reportedly also kill the bacteria that causes food-borne illnesses, including e. coli.

20. Open drains and freshen garbage disposals
Clear a clogged drain without the nasty, headache-inducing chemicals. Dump about 3/4 cup of baking soda down the drain and chase it with 1/2 cup white vinegar, then plug the drain. Leave it for about 30 minutes before rinsing with a kettle full of boiling water. You can use the same trick to clean and deodorize garbage disposals, or freeze vinegar in an ice cube tray and grind them up in the disposal to clean and sharpen the blades at the same time.