Real quick for pizza lovers...

One of the things I started this blog with was pizza. With our company this weekend, I perfected a couple of things and wanted to share...

(1) My sauce this weekend was PERFECT. Saute 1/2 of an onion (diced) with 2-3 large cloves of garlic put through a press or zester (minced if not an option) and olive oil. Once all nice and sweaty, dump in a can of diced tomatoes juices and all. Saute until the mixture turns pretty "dry" (most of the excess is out). Then add a can of paste, the volume of the can in water, and mix well over heat. The sauce will be pretty thick, and not simmer right (read: hot tomato sauce splattering all over the kitchen and you), so you just want to bring it up to heat. Process in a blender or with an immersion blender for a nice smooth consistency and flavor with salt and pepper to taste. If you want to add some herbs, feel free to do so with the diced tomatoes. We like fresh basil ON the pizza, so I opt to leave the sauce more plain.

(2) The crust was the same recipe, but I spread the dough out on parchment paper pieces to rise a little again (in little personal-pizza sized portions). At cooking time, I flipped the pieces over onto the grill (paper on top), and peeled the parchment off once placed. It worked PERFECTLY and yielded beautiful, crunchy on the outside/fluffy on the inside, crust. Usually the crust gets sort of mashed down, but this was GREAT. I also, as a first layer, spread garlic butter over the whole crust (after it was flipped like a pancake and the cooked side was up). THEN I put sauce down and made pizza as usual. Gave the part of the crust that didn't have sauce on it a nice taste.

Once the dough was on the grill, everything I'd done in the past was the same.

I totally need to do a tutorial on grilled pizza with everything and delete the old posts...put that as a "to-do" :)

A great weekend comes to a close...

... and I am exhausted. Happy, but exhausted. Much loved an appreciated family came into town this weekend, and in typical "me" style I planned menus and cooked up a storm. They left satisfied, so I guess I did my "job." I really didn't push myself too hard - the menu left itself open to socializing as well as working. And, lets be real here, I love making a fuss for people in the kitchen. I made tomato soup and panini on Friday night, pizza on the grill Saturday (Love that FL winter weather), and for breakfast this morning I made waffles and scrambled eggs.

Although we didn't have this today, it would have been a perfect addition to a guest brunch. Especially this time of year, people like to eat healthy. This is easily accomplished by eating fresh (versus processed). Today, we piled fresh, halved strawberries on top of our waffles - but a side of fruit salad would have been just as apropos.

I'm sorry that this one is short. We have had one HECK of a week over here, and the old blogging energy is a little low today. Next week is finals, but hopefully I'll be able to sneak in another post before the week's out. That is, unless, we have another unexpected drama pop up early.

Berry-Pom fruit salad

Blackberries (or any sort of berry, really)
"clementine" orange segments (readily available during winter)
banana
Pomegranates

Dressing: lemonade (enough to coat fruit), touch of honey (sweeten to desired taste and calorie level), and a couple of pinches of garam masala. Mix well, then pour over fruit. The Pomegranate idea came from a middle-eastern family that I used to tutor for, as did the garam masala. It adds an interesting complexity and depth to an otherwise predictable fruit salad!

It doesn't hurt that it's pretty too.

An easy spin on Miso...

So, to counter my devilish New Years recipe, I thought I would offer something lighter and healthier.

Ozoni is a traditional breakfast/brunch food fed to Japanese families on New Years Day. It has a history of being served to the elite in historic Japan - offered to Samurais and royalty alike. Today, commoners and elite share in the tradition as it is served in the hopes of bringing prosperity all year long. As a point of interest, many New Year's Day foods are served in Japan for reasons other than taste.

However, my reasons are found in the flavor. It's similar to miso, but has more vegetables. Moreover, it is often served with an un-sweet mochi that I just LOVE. I also have a bit of a confession - while I love the stuff on New Years, I usually get on a kick and make this throughout the colder months of January and February. It's simple, and fast. Now, I will admit that this is not traditional - but it is adopted from a family friend of Japanese ancestry. I say adopted because some of the "traditional" vegetables are hard for me to come by, and I don't add the chicken. Here's the "available in Florida" recipe (and I'll point out where the chicken comes in):

Ozoni Soup:

Per 3 cups of water in a pot (double and triple as necessary), add 1 teaspoon dashi, and one tablespoon of soy sauce. Bring to a boil in a pot big enough to add the following vegetables (pick and choose with your tastes) -

mushrooms (shittake - but I cheated and added baby portobellos)
scallions
julienned carrots
Daikon (Japanese radish)
Napa Cabbage
And really just about any other kind of vegetable that suits your fancy.

Now, if you want to add chicken, you should add and boil for about an hour BEFORE the vegetables - until the chicken is completely falling apart and easily broken up into pieces. If you're making this for a crowd,I see nothing wrong with making a whole chicken. But, if you're making it for a few, feel free to add a breast or a couple of thighs.

Let cook to desired tenderness (I let mine just barely Blanche, as I like crunchy veggies).

Serve as it is, or with savory mochi. To cook mochi, you can boil (my usual choice) or grill. I have to warn you, this is a very difficult ingredient to find online. You want to find a Japanese food store. The mochi pieces are shelf-stable, individually wrapped, and very hard. It has no bean paste inside, just plain mochi. If you're really stuck, and you want the full experience, ask the store owner for mochi used for ozoni. Otherwise, you can easily (and authentically) substitute tofu or serve with nothing at all!

I also should add that traditional ozoni is served with kamaboko, which is a difficult ingredient for me to find. If you can manage it - it should be included for authenticity!

And, just because I hate to leave you here without at least the knowledge of TRUE Ozoni (as in, made from someone who has had the recipe handed down to them), here are some links:

http://www.champuru.net/blog/2008/12/31/easy-ozoni-recipe/

http://1tess.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/ozoni-new-years-day-soup/

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/FOOD/news/12/29/ozoni.soup/

Happy and healthy 2009!

Like a cloud..

I didn't intend on this being the post I made today. I mean, this was the grand FINISH to our New Year's Eve dinner.

However, considering they are GONE - all 12 of them - just 24 hours later. Well, I thought the cupcakes deserved the most attention. Anything that good simply has to be shared. And soon. Before your New Year's resolutions really kick in. I know too many of us are thinking about the weight game again. I know I am. But really, these are worth the temptation. Just eat one, and send the rest to work with your partner. That's what I like to do! Or give them away to a cupcake-needing soul. Be charitable!

The inspiration for these came in the form of the Hawaiian luau-style coconut cake. This is very popular at Hawaiian parties. Truthfully, it don't see the appeal. It seems so westernized. In fact, if you Google "coconut cake" you get southern concoctions before you get anything Hawaiian. Still, in an effort to make Asian/Hawaiian foods, and keep my littlest taste-testers happy, I opted for cake instead of just all-too-foreign foods.

I am so glad I did.

I have been extremely happy with the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World book I purchased a while back. Nearly everything I made has been heaven, and one unsuspecting carnivore happily told me they were the "best cupcakes he's ever eaten!" So, with that said, I pretty much stick to these recipes for most cake needs. I mean, why go to all the trouble of making a big old cake when I can simply decorate cute little cupcakes? Easier, and more FUN! The problem is that the cookbook doesn't have a coconut cake with coconut frosting recipe. So, I adapted from a couple of these recipes to suit my own needs.


Coconut Cupcakes (adapted from Golden Vanilla on Pg 33)
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract.
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut Butter cream Frosting (adapted from Coffee Butter cream frosting on pg 88)
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 & 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

(1) Make toasted coconut (for garnish): Place in hot dry skillet and stir, toss, move until it turns a pretty golden color. Pieces will be differently colored, and that's okay. I liked the different shades and the textures it adds to the cupcake. Make as much or as little as you like. I liked the crunchy consistency it added, and the taste was simply wonderful. I would make enough to really douse the cupcake, but it's up to you and your decorating feel. At minimum I would make a 1/2 cup. When it's all done, put on a plate, spread out, to cool.

(2) Take the soy milk and vinegar, whisk together and set aside.

(3) Prepare your cupcake tin; with paper cups or oil.

(4) Beat oil, soy milk mixture, sugar, and extracts. Sift in all dry ingredients for the cake. Mix until all the big lumps have gone away.

(5) Fill cupcake tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes. When done, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

(6) Make frosting: Take room temperature butter and shortening, and cream together using a hand mixture (there's not a ton here to mix, so the Kitchen aid Mixer is sort of overkill). Add in 1/2 cup of the sugar followed by 1/2 Tablespoon of milk and mix well. Continue to alternate by "1/2" until you have added all the sugar and milk. Blend in the extracts, and beat on medium until the frosting is nice and fluffy.

(7) When cupcakes are cool, frost away. I used a leaf tip to get the "feel" of coconut cascading down, but you could use a Ziploc bag with a corner to make a simple swirl. Or you could just use a knife and apply the frosting traditionally! (8) Garnish with coconut, and try not to eat the whole plate. I dare you!

Happy 2009, everyone!

What does this old, beaten down, cookbook........and these bags of vegetables have in common?
Well, first you must need to know a little about my personal history.

I was born, what seems to be getting longer and longer ago, in Alaska. Around the age of 7 (which is when we relocated) my parents must have decided our family needed something besides what we were being afforded in this very cold state. They subsequently packed all our things, put them on a barge, and flew the whole family to our new home: Honolulu, Hawaii.

I lived there until I was 14 when my parents moved us to the "mainland" - Portland, Oregon. The years in Hawaii shaped my culinary attitude so much more than I am even aware of. Sashimi and sushi doesn't really seem like a delicacy - it seems like it should be part of an every day diet (although living in Florida, I have accepted the former). Words like poki and musubi peak my interest, and you haven't LIVED until you've tried local Ice Cream Mochi.

But I digress...

Those familiar with Japanese culture, know how important the New Year holiday is. Those of you that know Hawaii, know how integrated Japanese culture is (among others). With that said, I need to admit that my family didn't really celebrate the New Year until we moved to Oregon. That was when we became good friends with a family whose matriarch has Japanese Ancestry and was also relocated from the islands. For my entire high school career (and a bit beyond) I recall eating over there every New Years Day. When I moved to Florida, this same matriarch shared a few things with me so I could recreate the holiday in my own home.

In the past, New Years Day has included: shoyu chicken, chicken long rice, lomi lomi salmon, rice, sashimi, Kalua pork, sushi, ozoni, butter mochi, fermented black beans, and a few other items I know I am missing...and probably mispelling. At home in Florida, I did most of those same items - except for the black beans. But THIS year, trying to avoid meat as much as possible, I was stuck. Shoyu chicken can't be vegetarian - neither can chicken long rice, lomi salmon, or Kalua Pork. Those are some mainstays in the feast!

But sushi...well sushi can be anything I want it to be. And mochi is still safe. Thus our "new" New Years was invented:

Veggie, California, and Spicy Tempeh sushi rolls (last one is from Veganomicon)
Vegetarian Chop Chey (Korean noodle dish)
Salad with ginger dressing.
Butter and Regular Mochi
Coconut cupcakes adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

For breakfast, we do Okinawan doughnuts.

For lunch, we will still do a version of Onozi, made without the chicken. I still have to use Dashi, but as we did for Christmas, all land animals have been eliminated.

Now, none of this has answered the questions posed above.

The bags contain the vegetables I pre-chopped for tomorrow's holiday and pre-mixed dry ingredients. It took well over an hour, so I'm glad I got that done ahead of time.

The cookbook is from the elementary school I attended in Hawaii. My mother gave it to me a number of years ago, and it is very "local" in it's flavor. Recipes passed down from generations are in there, and as such, it is one of my most treasured cookbooks. You can't buy that thing in stores. I can't replace it - but when I need a recipe that is "local" in flavor and authenticity - THAT is where I turn. So naturally, that contains some of the recipes I plan on using tomorrow.

You will notice that I don't have any of them posted here, now. I can't give you EVERYTHING in one post, can I? Moreover, I don't have any yummy pictures to post right now either. So...hold tight. I will be sharing them. But I do need fodder for the blog in the coming month!

In the mean time, cuddle up next to someone you love tonight (I plan on doing so), and have a fantastic evening. From my kitchen to yours - I hope 2009 brings nothing but the best!

Holiday Fondue.

Growing up, my husband's family started the tradition of fondue. Now, for those of you like me, who associate fondue with cheese dip or chocolate (and that's it) - let me provide a bit of an education.

Google fondue recipes and you will find a wealth of cheese dips, dessert dips, AND recipes for broth boiling and deep frying all sorts of items. Basically, fondue can ALSO mean cooking raw meat items on your table - a perfect solution to a holiday dinner. After having done this for my family for the last number of years, I can tell you that I LOVE this tradition. Why?

(1) You can get really creative with the items. My husband's family uses beef, chicken, and shrimp. The chicken always comes out dry for me, and I avoid the steak. Consequently, when we started to fondue in our home, I opted for shrimp and lamb. I made a garlic aioli (some minced fresh garlic mixed in with some mayo) for a side, and included mint jelly for me. This year, concerned about some ethical issues with Australian lamb (namely, it's often slaughtered in China and not offered organic), we avoided land-meat all together and just went straight to sea food. I also breaded fresh mozzarella - going for a fried mozzarella feel. If desired , you can also move away from oil all together, and heat broth for cooking.

(2) You aren't cooking the items, so all you need to do is prepare them. If you hand make a lot of your dips, now you're putting in some work. However, even those can be done ahead of time to ease the workload on the day of the meal. Since I was doing this for my family, I opted for simplicity. Less time in the kitchen = more time over Christmas with my kids.

(3) Fondue is a very social meal. Since you need to wait for the items to cook, you spend more time talking and less time eating. It is perfect for entertaining - but a great "family dinner night" too for older kids. If you have a large family, and they are all young, I do not recommend this dinner. My daughter opted for a PBJ (she's picky, and it's Christmas, so why fight?) My son tried a shrimp, but decided the broccoli was best. Even if my kids did decide to eat the food, my husband and I could easily maintain ours and one child's plate. However, if you have too many helpless mouths to feed - perhaps this type of dinner should wait until you have older children to help - or kids are able to cook for themselves.
Holiday Fondue Menu:

1 loaf of french bread, with softened butter or olive oil.

One vegetable side. This year we opted for broccoli sauteed in garlic, olive oil, with some onion.

Fondue sides (homemade or store bought). Think about the sides you would want for the fried item. For our seafood menu, we stuck to tartar , shrimp , marinara (for mozzarella) and a remoulade sauces. For lamb, do yourself a favor and try some mint jelly. BBQ sauce for chicken and steak sauce for beef are good ideas too.
For scallops and shrimp - take raw (and peeled) pieces, rinse and bread. Easy way? Put Italian bread crumbs in a bag, place the item inside, and shake it. It coats everything nicely! The breading is light - adding just the tiniest bit of crunch.
For Chicken - I would consider doing something similar, but mixing in a tiny bit of chili powder. Depending on how spicy you like things, it's more of a southern fried chicken feel. You could also try your traditional breading (whatever family recipe you use), just working with smaller pieces.

For lamb and steak - do nothing except chop into chunks. 1 inch cubes, roughly - but a little bigger or irregular won't hurt.

I ran across the idea of trying fish this year, but haven't ever tried that in practice. My concern with really flaky fish, like salmon, is that it would fall off in the oil while cooking. It becomes a real bear to fish it out.

For mozzarella chunks, take Italian bread crumbs and 2-3 eggs. Blend the eggs well in a bowl. Cut small balls of fresh mozzarella in half, larger balls into quarters. Dip the piece in egg, then crumbs, then egg, and crumbs again.
For frying, we use peanut oil, as the scent isn't strong at all. Set the pot to around 350 - placing some sort of paper (doilies, paper plate, or I used festive tissue paper) to collect oil drips. I would NOT put down a nice table cloth, and have the oxyclean ready for oils stains on place mats.

Set aside some time for this meal, as the cooking and eating will leave you at the table for a while. For dessert, we usually do a chocolate fondue, but this year I made some Egg Nog Panna Cotta.

Chocolate fondue:

Take one bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and melt over double boiler with 1/4 cup heavy cream.

When melted and incorporated, add amaretto or fruit liqueur to thin down and add punch. Stir until shiny. If too much liqueur is required for appropriate consistency, you can add more cream in the above step.

Serve with whatever fruit suits your palate.

Holiday Crepes.

Welcome back from the holiday! I hope yours was as phenomenal as ours. It was probably the best we've ever had with the kids. It really is a wonder as they get older.

Shortly, I will be posting our holiday dinner traditions, but first I thought I would post our holiday breakfast traditions.

My father and sister were both born on Christmas Eve, which means they pretty much controlled the day. Consequently, Christmas was on CHRISTMAS. Now, my husband, the product of an airline family, usually had Christmas on the Eve. Why? Because it was far easier to get the Eve off from flying than the day itself (everyone wants the day off). Upon marrying, we also married our traditions. We still do the kids on Christmas, but I really make a two day event out of the holiday. We do a fancy, labor intensive, Christmas Eve breakfast. However, Christmas Day I make something simpler and meant for nibbling. Something grab-able between gifts. For Christmas this year, I made a crumb cake. I was less than impressed. But for Christmas Eve, I made our traditional crepes.

On the 23rd, I make the batter. It sets over night in the fridge. It's nothing crazy, and found in my cooking bible, Fannie Farmer.

Whip up two eggs, and 1 cup of milk.
Add in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup of flour.
Add two Tablespoons of melted butter.
Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes. Overnight in the fridge is fine.
Just give it a good whisk when you get up.
Can easily be doubled (I do every year)

In a hot, 5-7 inch skillet (or crepe pan), melt a dab of butter. Pour in several teaspoons of batter and swirl the pan around to get it to coat evenly. You want this over medium heat. Once the pancake is cooked through - flip and cook for right around 10 seconds. Place aside and cook the rest.

We fill ours with strawberries, but bananas and savory fillings will rock your holiday too! My daughter's (down below) just had syrup and whipped cream. You can truly let your imagination GO with crepes - nearly any combination is tasty and FESTIVE. Even though crepes really take just a tad more work than pancakes, the results seem so....polished.

I used to roll the crepe - but then I just went to the quarter fold and spooned fruit over the top. MUCH easier - and just as pretty!
So go make you family some post-holiday crepes. Who says you need a special reason!?