More Press

So I found this article that included me and a recipe I posted but I never was interviewed for it.

The writer did say I was witty.... and that I was from Singapore.

COOL!

See Bakerella's Sesame Street cake pops.

I actually said SQUEEE! when I saw Oscar the Grouch. He was my favorite because he was so grumpy, much like me.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is a good cookie, but not really my favorite. I made them as a favor to Elrod who told us about a hook up.



Peanut Butter Cookies for Elrod

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter (a mix of creamy and crunchy for that extra texture)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder


Cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Add the vanilla and salt. Mix together the remaining ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder. Stir into the sugar butter mixture.

Put dough in plastic wrap and let chill for a few hours (this is why peanut butter cookies are not a favoriite--I HATE WAIT!)

Preheat the oven to 375. Roll the dough into one inch balls and flatten slightly. Make the criss cross pattern with the fork.

In my oven it took fifteen minutes for each sheet. This made four dozen large cookies.

You could halve the recipe if you only want two dozen.

Steak and a little bit of veg

Country Captain

So I was craving bland curry so I made this:


Country Captain

I also roasted some fennel and asparagus:

I don't really like fennel.

Book Club Hostess

So I hosted book club. Normally, my mother does all the cooking but the ladies wondered if I could really cook.

The middle wine:



was a huge hit. As was this:



Mushroom Rigatoni


Mushroom Rigatoni

1 ounce dried porcini mushroom
1/2 cup hot water

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 shallots, chopped finely
1 tablespoon fresh thyme

8 ounces baby portabellas
2 ounces oyster mushrooms
2 ounces enoki mushrooms

One ounce triple creme cheese (I used St. Andre)
1/2 cup half and half

4 counces parmesan cheese

4 ounces mozzarella cheese

Eight ounces of rigatoni

Cook rigatoni to package directions. Drain.

Take the porcini mushrooms and rehydrate them in hot water for at least five minutes.

Take a large skillet and add the next five ingredients on medium high heat until everything is translucent. Add the mushrooms and cover.

Take the porcinis out of the hot water but save the water. Chop the porcinis and add to skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add the St. Andre and half and half and the hydrating water from the mushrooms. Let it come to a simmer.

Add the rigatoni and toss to coat.

Put in a casserole. Add the parmesan and mozzeralla cheese on top.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Breakfast

I tend to eat the same breakfast for months at a time. This is what I have been eating lately:



It is a porridge of millet, brown rice, quinoa, barley, amaranth and wheatberries. I sprinkle it with furikake and kecap manis and chop a scallion. I then fry an egg (or two) and mix the egg yolk with the porridge.



It is strangely satisfying.

Mocha Cake

So I made this mocha cake for my MIL's birthday. It was so good that it was requested for someone else.


I never made it to cake decorating class.

Mocha cake

It is the chocolate mayonnaise cake but instead I put in cold double espresso instead of cold coffee. What is double espresso in Minjenah's world? I make regular espresso in a moka pot. Then I run the espresso again with fresh grounds. The resulting stuff is like coffee syrup.

The other thing is I make a mocha boozy syrup with one part double espresso, one part sugar and one part dark rum. I usually do two ounces of each. After the cake is baked, I brush it with the syrup. I use about a half cup of the boozy mocha syrup.

The remaining quarter cup of boozy goodness is mixed with four ounces of cooled melted dark baking chocolate, one stick of softened butter, one 16 ounce box of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. It is whipped in my Kitchen Aid. That is the frosting.

I decorate it with dark chocolate covered espresso beans.

If anyone wants me to actually write the whole recipe in a post I will. But this is how I do it.

Pork Roast

Does anyone remember when meat did not come already seasoned? I mean, this pork roast was tender but WAAAY too salty.

Beef Stew

This recipe, mainly.


The liquid I added was not beef broth, though. It was the braising liquid from the short ribs which was used to make a pot roast later. So this is THREE BEEF broth. And darn tasty.

The Letter B

Today's meal was brought to you by the letter B:


Roasted Beets and Brussel Sprouts with Braised Beef Short Ribs.

We also had apple crumble for dessert with (wait for it) Breyer's vanilla ice cream for dessert.

My Awesome Sister

So my sister lives very far from me. And my mother recently went to visit her. And she returned with this:

These are the cutest Shinzi Katoh Bento Boxes EVER!

Thanks Stinky!

Foodie Magazine

As you can ascertain, I read a good many foodie magazines. November and Decemeber are the best months for foodie magazines. This year, for Thanksgiving it is all about the turkey:




I think the editors of Gourmet and the Martha Stewarts have a some esplaining to do.

Leftovers

When you cook as much as I do, there are perpetual leftovers. I find that if I take whatever is leftover, put it in a tortilla and cover it with copious amounts of cheese:


That is black beans, chili, cheese, onion and pork on the inside.

Then you bake it until the cheese is melted:


And it makes it quite tasty.

Remember, when in doubt --add more cheese.

All About Pigs

So for dinner, we had baby back ribs.



It's pork week here are Beef and Chocolate.