Monday, March 30, 2015

England Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 6 slices of bacon, diced
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cans of clams
  • 4 cans of chicken broth
  • 1 pound white boiling potatoes, chopped
  • 3 cups half-and-half cream
  • salt and pepper

Directions:
  1. Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and diced bacon then saute until clear. Stir in flour and cook over low heat, stirring frequently for 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. In a separate pot, bring clams and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. In a small saucepan, cover potatoes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender which is about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  4. Pour hot clam stock into butter and flour mixture and stir constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add cooked potatoes. Add half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper. Heat through but do not boil.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Almond Blueberry Cookies

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:
  1. Combine flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium bowl.
  2. In another medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat egg into mixture then add milk and almond extract.
  3. Combine and stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Fold in the almonds and blueberries. Put the dough into the fridge for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 375º. Drop cookies on to baking sheet and bake until golden brown around the edges which is approximately 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound walnut halves
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Spread walnuts over a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until walnuts start to turn brown.
  2. Stir sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, and milk together in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla immediately.
  3. Combine walnuts with the syrup mixture. Stir and coat very well. Spoon nuts onto a sheet of waxed paper and separate nuts with a fork. Store in an airtight container after walnuts are completely cool.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Guacamole

Ingredients:
  • 3 Avocados- peeled, pitted, and mashed
  • 2 lime, juiced
  • 1 teaaspoon salt
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados and lime juice. Mix in cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Avocado Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
  • Avocado cubes
  • Peeled pink grapefruit segments
  • Raspberries or blackberries
  • Walnuts
  • Honey

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Drizzle with honey before serving.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Egg Pudding

Ingredients:
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 5 tbsp of sugar
  • 5 tbsp of sugar for caramel topping
  • 2 tsp of vanilla extract

Directions:
  1. Beat eggs and sugar together. Add milk and vanilla extract.
  2. Cook 5 tbsp of sugar until it turns to a caramel color. Transfer into a ramekin or baking dish then add the egg mixture on top.
  3. Prepare a baking pan and fill 2/3 of the pan with water. Place ramekin in the center of the pan.
  4. Bake at 250º for 25 mins.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Sweet Porridge (Ba Bao Zhou)

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cup Mogami blended rice
  • 1/2 cup Barley
  • 1/4 cup black bean
  • 1/3 cup red or green bean
  • 20 pcs Lotus Heart
  • 1 small packet of Ginkgo nuts
  • 3/4 cup Mogami sweet rice
  • 1/3 cup Millet
  • 1/3 cup Lycium (枸杞子)
  • 10 pcs of Dates

Directions:
  1. Bring a pot of water to broil then add in Mogami blended rice and barley.
  2. In a pressure cooker, add in black beans, red/green beans, and lotus hearts and cook on high for 15 mins then low heat for 15 mins.
  3. Then transfer to the pot and cook for 30 mins.
  4. Add everything else into the pot then cook for another 30 mins on low heat and stir frequently.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

Ingredients:
  • 1 (12 ounce) package farfalle pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups half-n-half
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Rosemary

Directions:
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
  2. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through. Garnish with rosemary.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
  1. Combine eggs, vanilla and raisins in a small bowl; cover and let stand for 1 hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda; stir into the creamed mixture. Then stir in the raisin mixture, rolled oats, and nuts.
  4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Almond Meal Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
  • 9 oz sliced almonds
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 oz sugar
  • 3 bananas
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt


Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 300º. Prepare muffin tins.
  2. Combine almonds and baking powder in the food processor until finely ground but don’t let it run too long or else it will end up as almond butter. Set aside.
  3. Combine eggs, sugar, bananas, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Combine with almond meal.
  4. Pour into each muffin tin and top with thinly sliced bananas and almonds. Bake for 40 minutes and let cool before serving.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Butterbeer

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
  • Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda, chilled


Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees, stirring occasionally which is about a minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and add the butter, salt, vinegar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature before using.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining cream (1/2 cup) with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar syrup.
3. In each glass, mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar syrup with 1/4 cup cream soda. Pour in the rest of the cream soda until it is nearly to the brim of the glass. Top with whipped cream.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Apricot Smoothie

Apricot Smoothie

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup milk or almond milk
  • 2 apricots, pitted
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/2 cup ice


Directions:
Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Pour into a glass and garnish with fresh mint.