Experiencing fresh ricotta cheese was like Dorothy living in black & white Kansas and entering the technicolor Oz. You have no idea how different it is! Doesn't matter if you buy organic or cheap ricotta, if it comes in a plastic container in the grocery store, then you are missing out!
But making fresh ricotta is SO EASY! I got this recipe from Alexandra's Kitchen blog, who got it from the Barefoot Contessa. I love slathering it on excellent bread that's been toasted golden and topping with a roasted fig----it might be a controlled substance so be careful here.
You can also drizzle some honey on it and just eat it with a spoon, use it in lasagne or other pasta recipes, and on your pizzas.
Homemade Ricotta:
http://www.goop.com/journal/make/102/brunch-with-the-barefoot-contessa
Ricotta & Thyme on Grilled Bread:
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2013/06/20/ricotta-with-thyme-olive-oil-grilled-bread/
Ricotta on Pizza:
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2011/08/11/pizza-margherita-homemade-tomato-sauce-homemade-ricotta/
Roasted Fig Ricotta Tartines
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2012/08/29/a-sprouted-kitchen-feast/
Monday, July 29, 2013
Sunday, October 21, 2012
After School Casserole Delight & Delish
Growing up in suburban Dallas in the 70s, Mom and Dad both worked so my younger brother Leo and I got to be pretty self sufficient at an early age. In elementary school, the house key around my neck jangled on a metal chain whenever I tore across the playground to chase soccer balls, boys, and butterflies. After school, pedaling home on bikes sporting book-stuffed baskets, Leo and I slugged out the 2 mile uphill ride. (Yes, really, uphill all the way) By the time we let ourselves in the house, we were starving.
Our after school routine started with turning on the TV (and I do mean “turn”, there was actually a dial), honing in on the cartoon channel. Scooby-Doo, Super Friends, and in a pinch, PopEye. After cartoons, the sitcoms rolled in, like Gilligan’s Island, Brady Bunch, and in a pinch, Bonanza. Leo and I never fought about what to watch. Channel surfing and programming choices were practically non-existent with only about 4 channels available for viewing (hey, this is the pre-cable, pre-satellite dish era.
With cartoons already running lest we miss anything, we’d fix the perfect snack(s) with one eye on the screen, and settle in front of the TV. Being a frugal, Chinese immigrant family, our new couch was covered with sheets when we didn’t have company over. So being on the couch felt like being in a cozy bed.TVs back then were like large heavy pieces of furniture. Ours was built into this wood cabinet. There was a lace doily on top and some kind of empty crystal bowl on top. Empty because Leo and I had eaten all the pastel colored meltaway mints the weekend prior.
But I digress; let’s get back to the perfect snack. The first course snack to go with cartoons usually consisted of a bowl of cereal (Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, or in a pinch, Raisin Bran) or maybe a few slices of American cheese. Or both. Another favorite was salty sweet heaven, a scoop or two of chocolate ice cream laced with a generous helping Ruffles potato chips. Then there was Mrs. Baird’s impossibly soft white bread (a local Dallas baker) held together only by the pesky crusts, spread with a thin layer of softened butter); not toasted bread, just plain, straight out of the bag. Or white bread sprinkled with white granulated sugar. The crunch of the sugar on the tenderness of the bread really hit the spot for our simple carbohydrate cravings. The bread would get stuck to the top of our mouths, and we’d have to pry it off with our tongues so we could continue to scarf.
The sitcoms called for something warm and more substantial. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese was a typical second course. The steaming, creamy orange glow so inviting, so satisfying, even though it didn’t really taste like cheese at all. Maybe we craved salt after our sugar binge earlier. Soup out of the can also very popular, particularly cream of mushroom and chicken noodle. By this point, you’re probably thinking that I’ve had 3 heart attacks from early childhood exposure to excessive sugar and salt. But hey it was the 70s, nobody cared about that stuff yet, or whether things were fresh or processed. Convenience was the name of the consumer game. Mom loved that she didn’t have to do anything except buy it. She was relieved to know that we weren’t alone and hungry while she worked. Compared to making Chinese food from scratch (we used to have a potsticker assembly line and wonton wrapping marathons), packaged foods were heaven sent.
By 5th grade, my parents started working longer hours. Dad had started his own business and Mom got promoted to manager. Leo and I had to expand beyond just snacking. In this new era, we learned an exotic new dish known as the casserole. The origins of our first casserole are mysterious, and it’s name is unknown. Perhaps a women’s magazine at the dentist’s office or a friendly neighbor supplied the basic recipe. Wherever it came from, this casserole was here to stay. I call it After School Casserole Delight. An irresistible melange of hearty elbow macaroni bathed in creamy and satisfying mushroom soup. The surprise of chunks of tuna lent a substantial bite, delightfully accented with a crunchy breadcrumb topping. It was the ultimate comfort food that even a 5th grader could compose. A medley of flavors that only processed foods could deliver. Warming, filling, and homey comfort food for growing, home-alone kids.
Now that I am the mom, I wanted to share a bit of my childhood with my kids. So I still make this casserole, but I upgraded ingredients a bit. Though if you wanted to bring back the 70s, you could always use real Campbell’s soup.
After School Casserole Delight
Ingredients
Heat oven to 350F. Butter/oil/grease a 9x9” baking dish.
In a large pot or bowl, combine all ingredients except breadcrumbs and cheese (including the peas if using) until mixed evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese if using. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling and top is browned.
Eat in front of TV.
Growing up in suburban Dallas in the 70s, Mom and Dad both worked so my younger brother Leo and I got to be pretty self sufficient at an early age. In elementary school, the house key around my neck jangled on a metal chain whenever I tore across the playground to chase soccer balls, boys, and butterflies. After school, pedaling home on bikes sporting book-stuffed baskets, Leo and I slugged out the 2 mile uphill ride. (Yes, really, uphill all the way) By the time we let ourselves in the house, we were starving.
Our after school routine started with turning on the TV (and I do mean “turn”, there was actually a dial), honing in on the cartoon channel. Scooby-Doo, Super Friends, and in a pinch, PopEye. After cartoons, the sitcoms rolled in, like Gilligan’s Island, Brady Bunch, and in a pinch, Bonanza. Leo and I never fought about what to watch. Channel surfing and programming choices were practically non-existent with only about 4 channels available for viewing (hey, this is the pre-cable, pre-satellite dish era.
With cartoons already running lest we miss anything, we’d fix the perfect snack(s) with one eye on the screen, and settle in front of the TV. Being a frugal, Chinese immigrant family, our new couch was covered with sheets when we didn’t have company over. So being on the couch felt like being in a cozy bed.TVs back then were like large heavy pieces of furniture. Ours was built into this wood cabinet. There was a lace doily on top and some kind of empty crystal bowl on top. Empty because Leo and I had eaten all the pastel colored meltaway mints the weekend prior.
But I digress; let’s get back to the perfect snack. The first course snack to go with cartoons usually consisted of a bowl of cereal (Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, or in a pinch, Raisin Bran) or maybe a few slices of American cheese. Or both. Another favorite was salty sweet heaven, a scoop or two of chocolate ice cream laced with a generous helping Ruffles potato chips. Then there was Mrs. Baird’s impossibly soft white bread (a local Dallas baker) held together only by the pesky crusts, spread with a thin layer of softened butter); not toasted bread, just plain, straight out of the bag. Or white bread sprinkled with white granulated sugar. The crunch of the sugar on the tenderness of the bread really hit the spot for our simple carbohydrate cravings. The bread would get stuck to the top of our mouths, and we’d have to pry it off with our tongues so we could continue to scarf.
The sitcoms called for something warm and more substantial. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese was a typical second course. The steaming, creamy orange glow so inviting, so satisfying, even though it didn’t really taste like cheese at all. Maybe we craved salt after our sugar binge earlier. Soup out of the can also very popular, particularly cream of mushroom and chicken noodle. By this point, you’re probably thinking that I’ve had 3 heart attacks from early childhood exposure to excessive sugar and salt. But hey it was the 70s, nobody cared about that stuff yet, or whether things were fresh or processed. Convenience was the name of the consumer game. Mom loved that she didn’t have to do anything except buy it. She was relieved to know that we weren’t alone and hungry while she worked. Compared to making Chinese food from scratch (we used to have a potsticker assembly line and wonton wrapping marathons), packaged foods were heaven sent.
By 5th grade, my parents started working longer hours. Dad had started his own business and Mom got promoted to manager. Leo and I had to expand beyond just snacking. In this new era, we learned an exotic new dish known as the casserole. The origins of our first casserole are mysterious, and it’s name is unknown. Perhaps a women’s magazine at the dentist’s office or a friendly neighbor supplied the basic recipe. Wherever it came from, this casserole was here to stay. I call it After School Casserole Delight. An irresistible melange of hearty elbow macaroni bathed in creamy and satisfying mushroom soup. The surprise of chunks of tuna lent a substantial bite, delightfully accented with a crunchy breadcrumb topping. It was the ultimate comfort food that even a 5th grader could compose. A medley of flavors that only processed foods could deliver. Warming, filling, and homey comfort food for growing, home-alone kids.
Now that I am the mom, I wanted to share a bit of my childhood with my kids. So I still make this casserole, but I upgraded ingredients a bit. Though if you wanted to bring back the 70s, you could always use real Campbell’s soup.
After School Casserole Delight
Ingredients
| Quantity | Authentic | Upgrade/Food Sensitivity | Substitution |
| 6 oz | dry elbow macaroni; cooked al dente & drained | organic/brown rice | |
| 5 oz | canned tuna fish, drained | pole-caught albacore/pan fried Ahi | homemade or store bought shredded chicken; flaked salmon, bones removed |
| 14 oz | 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, made to directions with added milk or water (you will have a total of about 21 oz after adding liquid) | homemade thick style cream of mushroom soup | |
| Optional | |||
| 1 bag | frozen peas | organic/ fresh shelled | |
| 5 T | breadcrumbs | organic/homemade | |
| grated cheese to taste | California organic dry monterey jack or parmesan | ||
| Salt & pepper to taste |
Heat oven to 350F. Butter/oil/grease a 9x9” baking dish.
In a large pot or bowl, combine all ingredients except breadcrumbs and cheese (including the peas if using) until mixed evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese if using. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling and top is browned.
Eat in front of TV.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Gluten free AND vegan?! Must be gross, right? WRONG!!!
And I thought my dietary requirements were picky! apparently there is a whole subculture of us demanding not only homemade, gluten-free but also VEGAN!
I have made my way through 85% of a cookbook I got for xmas called "Babycakes Covers the Classics" by Erin McKenna. what a treasure trove of DELICIOUS recipes. Simple to follow, beautiful images to guide you towards a fabulous finish, and fairly accessible ingredients. Erin rates each of her recipes for difficulty, but even the most difficult are not hand-wringers, they just take more time to see thru. Also, she is very big on VANILLA. I've used a whole bottle on one of her recipes before! The book is available on Amazon.com. I especially recommend the chocolate chip cookies and madeleines. Even my teenagers love these treats and scarf them like their egg & wheat predecessors.
Luckily I just came across this great recipe for homemade vanilla extract from this great food blog Alexandra's Kitchen. She sources Cooks Illustrated as the inspiration for her recipe. Check it out as well as resources she recommends.
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2012/07/20/homemade-vanilla-extract-moo-labels/
I have made my way through 85% of a cookbook I got for xmas called "Babycakes Covers the Classics" by Erin McKenna. what a treasure trove of DELICIOUS recipes. Simple to follow, beautiful images to guide you towards a fabulous finish, and fairly accessible ingredients. Erin rates each of her recipes for difficulty, but even the most difficult are not hand-wringers, they just take more time to see thru. Also, she is very big on VANILLA. I've used a whole bottle on one of her recipes before! The book is available on Amazon.com. I especially recommend the chocolate chip cookies and madeleines. Even my teenagers love these treats and scarf them like their egg & wheat predecessors.
Luckily I just came across this great recipe for homemade vanilla extract from this great food blog Alexandra's Kitchen. She sources Cooks Illustrated as the inspiration for her recipe. Check it out as well as resources she recommends.
http://www.alexandracooks.com/2012/07/20/homemade-vanilla-extract-moo-labels/
Friday, January 6, 2012
Butternut squash, carmelized onion, and pinto bean enchiladas
Can i just confess that i ate the WHOLE pan in 2 days! Dang, these are good. You can add meat, use real cheese, buy canned sauce or use non organic stuff if you want. I made mine the vegan way cuz that's how i roll.
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, diced, and roasted with a diced large yellow onion with your favorite herbs (dried or fresh) in one layer until cooked thru & slightly carmelized, about 30 min at 400F
1/2 pound of cooked pinto, black or white beans (I cook them in filtered water, with cumin; seasoned w/himalayan salt AFTER beans are tender)
1 package of corn tortillas (usually there are 10-12 in a pack)
extra virgin olive oil
1 package of shredded Daiya vegan pepperjack cheese
Red chile enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix togetherOil the sides & bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Fry both sides of a tortilla in XV olive oil. fill with a little roasted squash mixture (2T) and a little beans (1-2T). Sprinkle on some cheese. Roll and place seam side down in glass baking pan. Repeat until you run out of tortillas or filling. Pour enchilada sauce over all. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for about 20-30 min until bubbly.
YUMMY! Good for lunch. Good for gluten free breakfast too after a grueling workout.
Red Enchilada Sauce
1 package of pasilla dried chiles (about 10-15 chiles), seeded, stem removed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped into smallish pieces
salt to taste
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 T vegetable broth powder
about 1 qt boiling water
Put everything in a blender. Blend til smooth. Voila!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
S'mores without a flame
Happy new discovery: I can make delicious melty hot s'mores in my toaster oven
1 pack of organic cinnamon graham crackers
1 bar of organic dark chocolate
1 jar of RiceMellow
lay a piece of choc on half of a graham cracker
put toaster oven on 180F bake for 2 min or until desired level of melted-ness
slap on a scoop of RiceMellow
I eat mine open-faced but you could top w/the other half of the graham cracker if you're a traditionalist
OMG i had 3!!!
1 pack of organic cinnamon graham crackers
1 bar of organic dark chocolate
1 jar of RiceMellow
lay a piece of choc on half of a graham cracker
put toaster oven on 180F bake for 2 min or until desired level of melted-ness
slap on a scoop of RiceMellow
I eat mine open-faced but you could top w/the other half of the graham cracker if you're a traditionalist
OMG i had 3!!!
Monday, April 5, 2010
What can I eat if I go veggie??!!
A lot of people ask me what I eat when they learn that I'm a vegan. I guess it's hard for someone who centers every meal on meat to think outside the box. Their experience of vegetables are only as a side dish or as penitence in the form of THE SALAD for a dietary transgression. But I have such a wide open range of options as a veg only eater, that it always strikes me as a funny question....especially since I happen to be lucky enough to live in Northern California where there are lots of local organic farms, and produce is just gorgeous and abundant. I get them farm fresh at the farmers market, where they are often picked the same morning or day before. What a huge difference fresh picked makes!
So I recently put together this list of recipe-inspirations-sources for a friend who just went veg and realized she can't keep eating bread for dinner. I hope it helps inspire and fire up your inner Iron Chef.
-----------------------------------------
Martha Rose Shulman of the New York Times has a pretty good cooking column. I usually need to make some simple adjustments to make the recipes vegan, as she loves cheese, milk, and eggs. A couple of things I change in her recipes, I don't cook w/canola oil, I don't buy canned beans (so easy & better to make yourself), and I always buy seasonal, organic & local (when possible, obviously they don't grow wheat or bananas in California so nothing I can do about that).
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/
some books that i use for inspiration:
The Art of Taste (the author is the chef at the White Lotus Yoga Center, where James & I did a retreat)
http://www.amazon.com/Art-
Voluptuous Vegan: more sophisticated (read: complex) recipes but awesome results; dinner party fare
http://www.amazon.com/
Chopra Center Cookbook--mostly not indian food
http://www.amazon.com/Chopra-
The Peaceful Palate
http://www.amazon.com/
Raw Food/Real World
http://www.amazon.com/Raw-
The Vegan Table
http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-
The Esalen Cookbook
http://www.amazon.com/Esalen-
The Millenium Cookbook (highly recommend going to this restaurant in SF)
http://www.amazon.com/
i also get ideas from the Mad Cowboy newsletter/Yahoo Group (send email to
Mad_Cowboy-owner@yahoogroups.
So I recently put together this list of recipe-inspirations-sources for a friend who just went veg and realized she can't keep eating bread for dinner. I hope it helps inspire and fire up your inner Iron Chef.
-----------------------------------------
Martha Rose Shulman of the New York Times has a pretty good cooking column. I usually need to make some simple adjustments to make the recipes vegan, as she loves cheese, milk, and eggs. A couple of things I change in her recipes, I don't cook w/canola oil, I don't buy canned beans (so easy & better to make yourself), and I always buy seasonal, organic & local (when possible, obviously they don't grow wheat or bananas in California so nothing I can do about that).
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/
some books that i use for inspiration:
The Art of Taste (the author is the chef at the White Lotus Yoga Center, where James & I did a retreat)
http://www.amazon.com/Art-
Voluptuous Vegan: more sophisticated (read: complex) recipes but awesome results; dinner party fare
http://www.amazon.com/
Chopra Center Cookbook--mostly not indian food
http://www.amazon.com/Chopra-
The Peaceful Palate
http://www.amazon.com/
Raw Food/Real World
http://www.amazon.com/Raw-
The Vegan Table
http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-
The Esalen Cookbook
http://www.amazon.com/Esalen-
The Millenium Cookbook (highly recommend going to this restaurant in SF)
http://www.amazon.com/
i also get ideas from the Mad Cowboy newsletter/Yahoo Group (send email to
Mad_Cowboy-owner@yahoogroups.Friday, February 19, 2010
Rosa's Homemade Sweet Black Bean Paste Steamed Buns--aaaahhhh!
From my cousin-in-law Rosa...
There are different types of dough, mixing with cold (room temp) water, warm water or hot water. After doing some late night research on the web, turned out it involves a lot of food science. Flour can absorb more hot water than cold water, and hot water dough is softer and more pliable (because heat destroyed the gluten somewhat) than cold water dough.
Usually, I just added random amount of flour to my bowl, then gradually mixed in water till I felt the consistency is right. My experienced coworkers said it usually takes them only minutes to mix the dough, it took me an hour once!!
anyway, cold water dough is good for items you need to boil (like dumplings or noodles) or deep fry.
Hot water dough is good for pan-frying (potstickers, green onion pancakes) or steaming (eg. dumplings).
Of course, for the dough for buns, I added active dry yeast. I usually use 1 teaspoon of yeast. Again, I added random amount of flour (probably 3-4 cups??), added room temp water and the rehydrated active dry yeast (warm water + sugar), and a pinch of salt. I usually let it rise for 2 hours, then started rolling them out. After each bun is formed, I let it rise for another 30-40 min or so.
These sites give better portions. I usually check out a few links (cos everyone uses different amounts), and sort of digest the info and come up with my own. But I never strictly follow a recipe. I think feeling with my hands is the best way to tell whether I need more flour or more water.... hope this helps.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/
http://www.globalgourmet.com/
Rosa's advice for what kind of flour to use:
For the buns with fillings, my coworkers (from Northern china, home of these dim sums) told me to use all-purpose flour only. She said whole wheat flour may not be "sticky" enough for you to work with, probably not enough gluten. If you just want to make the plain steamed buns (no fillings), I have tried whole wheat flour as well. They were fine, but not as fluffy as the all-purpose flour. My first batch of veggie/meat buns turned out to be very flat, because I didn't use enough dough for each bun, plus, I think my dough was a bit too wet. Second batch was better. Oh, by the way, my coworker said for some reason, gold medal AP flour didn't work too well for her for making buns. She said they looked fine while they were being steamed, but once she opened the lid, they collapsed. So she recommended using Safeway brand. Worked well for me! I saved my Pillsbury and Gold Medal AP flour for making dough with no yeast.
For the green onion pancakes and noodles, just AP flour.
I found this recipe for homemade sweet red bean paste:
http://www.applepiepatispate.com/japanese/sweet-azuki-red-bean-paste/
I will try making my own sweet red bean buns this weekend. I will try a batch with unbleached white flour (sinfully stripped of all nutritional value whatsoever) and a batch with whole wheat pastry flour (healthy enough to appease the nutrition-nazi in me). I'll report back on how it turns out.
There are different types of dough, mixing with cold (room temp) water, warm water or hot water. After doing some late night research on the web, turned out it involves a lot of food science. Flour can absorb more hot water than cold water, and hot water dough is softer and more pliable (because heat destroyed the gluten somewhat) than cold water dough.
Usually, I just added random amount of flour to my bowl, then gradually mixed in water till I felt the consistency is right. My experienced coworkers said it usually takes them only minutes to mix the dough, it took me an hour once!!
anyway, cold water dough is good for items you need to boil (like dumplings or noodles) or deep fry.
Hot water dough is good for pan-frying (potstickers, green onion pancakes) or steaming (eg. dumplings).
Of course, for the dough for buns, I added active dry yeast. I usually use 1 teaspoon of yeast. Again, I added random amount of flour (probably 3-4 cups??), added room temp water and the rehydrated active dry yeast (warm water + sugar), and a pinch of salt. I usually let it rise for 2 hours, then started rolling them out. After each bun is formed, I let it rise for another 30-40 min or so.
These sites give better portions. I usually check out a few links (cos everyone uses different amounts), and sort of digest the info and come up with my own. But I never strictly follow a recipe. I think feeling with my hands is the best way to tell whether I need more flour or more water.... hope this helps.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/
http://www.globalgourmet.com/
Rosa's advice for what kind of flour to use:
For the buns with fillings, my coworkers (from Northern china, home of these dim sums) told me to use all-purpose flour only. She said whole wheat flour may not be "sticky" enough for you to work with, probably not enough gluten. If you just want to make the plain steamed buns (no fillings), I have tried whole wheat flour as well. They were fine, but not as fluffy as the all-purpose flour. My first batch of veggie/meat buns turned out to be very flat, because I didn't use enough dough for each bun, plus, I think my dough was a bit too wet. Second batch was better. Oh, by the way, my coworker said for some reason, gold medal AP flour didn't work too well for her for making buns. She said they looked fine while they were being steamed, but once she opened the lid, they collapsed. So she recommended using Safeway brand. Worked well for me! I saved my Pillsbury and Gold Medal AP flour for making dough with no yeast.
For the green onion pancakes and noodles, just AP flour.
I found this recipe for homemade sweet red bean paste:
http://www.applepiepatispate.com/japanese/sweet-azuki-red-bean-paste/
I will try making my own sweet red bean buns this weekend. I will try a batch with unbleached white flour (sinfully stripped of all nutritional value whatsoever) and a batch with whole wheat pastry flour (healthy enough to appease the nutrition-nazi in me). I'll report back on how it turns out.
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