As I have mentioned before, I am thoroughly enjoying the whole food-blogging business. Even though it took a big push from my sister for me to start it, I'm incredibly glad I did. Since starting this blog back in January, I've joined a few food-blog-challenge groups, and I was excited to see I had been accepted into the Daring Bakers group on the Daring Kitchen. I waited anxiously all last
For Grandpa... English Carrot Pudding
As I have mentioned before, I am thoroughly enjoying the whole food-blogging business. Even though it took a big push from my sister for me to start it, I'm incredibly glad I did. Since starting this blog back in January, I've joined a few food-blog-challenge groups, and I was excited to see I had been accepted into the Daring Bakers group on the Daring Kitchen. I waited anxiously all last
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies
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| Delicious quinoa chocolate chip cookies. A gluten-free favorite. |
Have I Got a Faux for You
My last cookie post stirred up a veritable stew of feelings. From oat-loving high fives and boogie till the cows come home oatmeal cookie bliss, to very sad, That's okay, I'll sit this one out in the corner moping. Because oatmeal? It's not for everyone. Apparently, oats can be unkind to sensitive celiac tummies. So while many celiacs celebrate the availability of certified gluten-free oats (thank you, Bob's Red Mill!), just as many shun this humble cereal grain for the sake of symptoms or safety.
Avena sativa? Not welcome in many a gluten-free kitchen.
Some believe the trouble starts with its globulin or legume-like protein called avenalin. Some think it's the soluble fiber factor. Others believe that the prolemine in oats called avenin triggers a celiac-like response. The debate rages on. And I'm no scientist, I'm sorry to tell you, so I'll sit this one out. But.
The truth is, Babycakes, you don't want to be around moi after I've eaten oats- gluten-free certified or not. Although I tested negative for oat allergy, these tasty chewy little cereal devils produce enough, um, wind in my nether regions to keep Wyoming well lit for a week.
It ain't pretty, is all I'm saying.
Read more + get the recipe >>
Hazelnut Coffee Cake
I am finally getting back into my food-blogging groove after two weeks of "life" has gotten in the way. It feels so good to be back, checking in with all my new blog buddies around the globe - an incredible collection of kind, funny, food-focused people like me. These are the people I am looking forward to meeting in person and getting to know better when I head to London in early June for my
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My Pistachio Obsession
These past two weeks have been pretty busy - I've gone three whole days without even being on the computer for god's sake! I do have a good excuse though - I've been either baking for or celebrating 5 of the 13 April birthdays in our combined families, or the anniversary of when hubby and I began dating 17 years ago. Then there's my day job... April is fast becoming a blur to me. And as you
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Make Gluten-Free Brownie Cupcakes with Namaste Baking Mix
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| Brownies baked as cupcakes- from Namaste baking mix. |
Check out these fudgy little gems. Chocolate chip brownies dressed up like cupcakes. These are Steve's creation. He's been making gluten-free brownies for- let me think a minute- almost nine years. (How, I ask you, is that possible? Nine years gluten-free? Yep. We'll be celebrating nine years of gluten-free living this December. Perilously close to a decade.) So he's the resident brownie expert. I bow to his expertise.
He's baked brownies from scratch. He's tried all the gluten-free mixes
. He's added flavors. Coffee.
Peppermint.
Vanilla.
He's added extra chocolate chips. Chopped walnuts. Pecans. Even raisins. He bakes brownies weekly. But lately he's got a new twist to this favorite classic treat. He plops the batter into a cupcake
liner
clad muffin tin
.
. He's added flavors. Coffee. Peppermint. Vanilla. He's added extra chocolate chips. Chopped walnuts. Pecans. Even raisins. He bakes brownies weekly. But lately he's got a new twist to this favorite classic treat. He plops the batter into a cupcake liner clad muffin tin. Steve swears this creates a better, moister brownie.
Read more + get the recipe >>
Blended Watermelon (Nam Tang Mo Bpan)
Watermelon blended or Nam Tang Mo bpan in Thai. Watermelon is not only great on a hot summer day, this delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. Sweet, juicy watermelon is actually packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A, notably through its concentration of beta-carotene etc.
Ingredients:
- 50 g. Meat Melon (5 tablespoons dish)
- 1 tsp. Syrup
- 1/5 tsp salt,
- ½ cup Boiled water
- A little lime juice.
How Mix:
- Bring meat watermelon, syrup, salt, boiled water and lime juice put in blender, shaker and Lead to mold to savor the details like and taste as you like.
Asiatica Juice (Nam Bai Boua Bok)
Asiatic juice or Nam Bai Boua Bok in Thai called with high vitamin. For those who have worked hard on the eyes regularly. It will help the eye, very well. It also has calcium and vitamin B 1. Higher than with other vegetables. Other benefits. Asiatic juice is used to cure sorrow and resolve bruised Skin Care hot in solving brain heart If drinking every day for 1 week can reduce blood pressure. Resolve the inflammation and treat wounds. The gastric blood coagulation soon help drivers pee.
Ingredient:
- 1 kg Asiatic
- 750 g brown sugar.
- 1 tsp Salt
- 5 liters of water (20 cups).
How do:
- Bring everything blended together set fire to be left cold.
- Remove filter waste out 1-2 times.
- Immersion in the refrigerator to drink every day.
Khanom Jeeb (Thai Dumplings)
Also written as ‘khanom jeeb‘, these delicious treats originate from China (where they are known known as ’siu mai’). If you find that some Thai food is just too spicy for you, try some of the Chinese-style dishes such as khanom jeeb or salapao which are cheap and tasty snacks without the spice. These can be eaten on there own or as part of a dim-sum style lunch and are usually accompanied by a dipping sauce or soy sauce.
Ingredient for Pastry:
- 200 gms. Wheat Flour ( Enough for 40 )
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 100 gms Pork Mince
- 3 Shitake Mushrooms
- 2 Carrots
- 1 Spring Onion
- 30 gms Coriander Leaves
- 1 Egg
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Tablespoon Cassava Starch (Or corn starch)
- Put the salt, sugar, and flour into a bowl and mix it.
- Beat the eggs together and mix into the flour.
- Knead it until it forms a dough.
- Set the dough aside for 20 minutes, it should be covered with a damp towel to prevent a skin forming.
- Soak the shitake mushroom for 5-10 minutes.
- Chop shitake mushroom, carrots, spring onions, coriander leaves, and garlic,into small pieces. It is easier to blend it in a food processor.
- Add the blended mix into the pork mince and add the egg, salt, oyster sauce and cassava starch, and mix well.
- Cut the dough into very small balls.
- On a slightly oiled or floured surface, roll the dough into small circles (approximately 6cms diameter).
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
- Lift up the edges into of the dought to form the sides - this will squeeze the filling into the centre.
- For best results pleat the edges of the pastry to form pleated sides of the parcels.
- Add this point you can freeze them on a floured tray, or cook them straight away.
- To cook them, place them in a Chinese steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
Mint/Coriander/Lettuce/Sour sauce
Suggestions:
If you like hot spicy food, you can insert a piece of red or green chilli into the centre of the parcel before eating it.
Custard Cream Buns (Sa-la-pao Sai Cream)
Salapao Sai Cream is Chinese Steamed Buns. White steamed buns called ’salapao’ are a popular snack in Thailand. They are sold at hawker stalls and roadside eateries as well as Chinese restaurants. Fillings for the buns can be savoury or sweet. The sweet buns are often favoured by overseas visitors and are usually available at 7-Eleven stores for around 10 to 15 Baht. The sweet salapao (’sai waan’) may consist of crushed mung beans such as a cream filling (’sai cream’).
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cake flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ammonia
- 1 tbsp yeast
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- sheets of paper cut into 2"x2"squares, used as a base
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup fresh milk
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup wheat flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup butter
- Combine the sweetened condensed milk, fresh milk and sugar together, stirring well.
- Add wheat flour and stir thoroughly until all lumps are dissolved.
- Beat the eggs until fluffy, then add the batter and stir to mix well.
- Transfer to a double-boiler; simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens.
- Add the butter stirring regularly and simmer until thick and done.
- Remove from the heat.
- Mix the yeast, lukewarm water sugar and salt together Stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Mix both kinds of flour with ammonia, pour in the yeast mixture and oil.
- Knead until a smooth dough is formed.
- Place the dough in a greased mixing bowl, cover and let stand until it doubles in size.
- Divide the dough into 20 gram portions, roll into balls.
- Flatten each ball, and make a dome in the center Spoon I tbsp of the custard filling into the center; gather the sides to seal closely.
- Place each bun on a sheet of paper and arrange on the dim sum trays.
- Bring the water in a steamer to a boil; place the dim sum trays in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
- Remove and enjoy while hot.
Chinese BBQ Pork Bun (Salapao Sai mou Daeng)
White steamed buns called ’salapao’ are a popular snack in Thailand. They are sold at hawker stalls and roadside eateries as well as Chinese restaurants. Fillings for the buns can be savoury or sweet. Savoury salapao usually consist of barbecued or minced pork. The filling in the picture is ’sai mou daeng’ (’moo daeng’ = red roast pork). In this context, the word ’sai’ means filling. The sweet buns are often favoured by overseas visitors and are usually available at 7-Eleven stores for around 10 to 15 Baht.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1.5 cups fermented dough
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cake flour
- ½ cup castor sugar
- 1 tsp ammonia
- 1.5 tbsp baking powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cake flour
- 1 tsp fermented glutinous (sticky) rice flour
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups Chinese B.B.Q. pork, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup B.B.Q. gravy, I tbsp chopped garlic
- 2 tsp wheat flour,
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar,
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
To make the fermented dough:
- mix fermented glutinous rice flour with water and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
- Stir in both kinds of flour; add the vegetable oil and knead until smooth.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and leave overnight.
- fry chopped garlic in oil until fragrant add the B.B.Q. pork and stir well.
- Follow with the wheat flour and gravy, stirring until the flour is done and thickened. Season to taste with soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.
- Stir together well, then remove from heat.
- Mix the dough with ammonia and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
- Sift both kinds of flour with baking powder, then add to the fermented dough.
- Add sugar and knead until a smooth dough forms.
- Divide into 20 gram portions.
- Spread the dough into thin sheets, making a dome in the center.
- Place 1 tbsp of the filling in the center and gather the sides to form a nice bun shape. Place each bun on a sheet of paper, and arrange on the dim sum trays.
- Bring the water in a steamer to a boil; place the dim sum trays in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
- Remove and serve hot.
The Easter Macaron Hunt!
When it was announced that this month's MacTweets challenge was Holidays of April, I decided that pistachio macs needed to be made. Something about the taste of pistachios always makes me think of spring. This has a lot to do with fact that my aunt always used to make the same confetti-angelfood cake with pistachio pudding icing for every birthday when I was growing up. Fast forward a few
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Strawberry Hemp Milk Smoothie
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| Drink pink! Organic strawberries make fabulous smoothies. |
It's that time of year. Smoothie weather is upon us. Time to whip fresh fruit into a frenzy of deliciousness. Then go for a walk. And burn off those winter blues. Lethargy is so yesterday.
Today?
Today is berrylicious.
Flapper Pie and Easter Memories
For as long as I can remember, Easter has been pretty much the same. As girls, my sister and I would wake up on Easter Sunday morning and find new summer dresses laid out beside two huge Easter baskets filled with treats like jelly beans and malted eggs and always, always a chocolate bunny. You know, the kind that only has one candy eyeball that just stares at you blankly from inside his
There's a Chocolate Mousse Day?
It's the Easter long weekend- YAY! Three whole days off!!! For hubby and I, this also meant three consecutive evenings out for dinner, and 3 different desserts I needed to make, for that's what I do - I bring dessert (seriously, with a blog title like mine, you didn't think I'd be in charge of bringing salad, did you?). So, for a Friday night BBQ at our friend's house, I decided to make