Archive for May 2009

Wrote by Maki

I don't usually buy a lot of salad dressings, I try to make them at home, but when I do, it's usually a ranch dressing and our favorite, the creamy poppy seed dressing from Kraft.

I have since found a buttermilk recipe that is really good and works as a great replacement for the store bought ranch dressing. But, no matter how many times we've experimented or tried out a "poppy seed dressing" recipe... it never compared to the store bought one.

Until now.

This one comes the closest out of all the ones I've tried. Worth digging out every damn little seed that is holding on for dear life between your teeth.

Which brings me to another point. Are you someone who will tell a person that there is something in their teeth? I will and have. I know it's embarrassing to tell someone that they do and even more embarrassing to be told you do, but I'd rather know. There has been a few times I've come home and found a delinquent herb in my teeth. sigh.

But, maybe I should just get a different attitude about it? Go around wearing a chef's hat, maybe an apron or some oven mitts in the winter and when someone tells me I have poppy seeds in my teeth, I will just inform them that I'm a foodie and that the poppy seeds in my teeth are bling.

Yeah. I'll start a new foodie movement.

I can't rap or sing but maybe I'll write poems. I can do poem readings in cafe's everywhere!

My first poem will be about poppyseeds. Another one will be about various herbs. Oh, I know you'll LOVE the one about the funky asparagus smell in your pee.

Word on!

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poppy seed dressing
makes 1.5 cups

1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard (I used 1 tsp dijon mustard since I didn't have dry mustard)
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1.5 tsp poppy seeds

Whip in a bowl with a electric mixer, the sugar, vinegar, mustard, onion and salt for 2 minutes on medium-low.

Increase the speed and slowly add oil in a thin stream. Reduce to low speed and add poppy seeds and mix until combined. Chill before serving.

Recipe from: Poppy Seed Dressing, KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes.

Wrote by Maki

Sometimes when my hubby comes home from work, I'll tell him I had a great shoot. There might be a crack about my models being cooperative or maybe only Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigra? looks were being given. Of course, the subjects of my photography is food and he's merely poking fun but I do enjoy shooting still life.

Ah, the life of a food blogger. There are some quirks to it.

My children never question me about taking pictures of food, they are quite used to it. They, along with my hubby, have even helped me by being my lighting assistants, especially if I'm trying to be more creative. It's like a family affair. My kids are pretty patient, having to wait to have goodies until after I'm done taking pictures. And, it's usually only one person who gets the prettied up plate (the one used for photographing) while others get food without mint garnishes :) As a food blogger, I sometimes eat food that has cooled down since it takes some time to set up and getting the right picture.

I don't have too many family and friends knowing about my food blog, I'm a bit shy about it. I have let a few people know about it over time, all with positive feedback. I'd say the majority I've told do not follow my blog, and that's ok, I totally get it's not everyone's shtick. The few who do know about it, sometimes when I have them over for dinner, they will start to spoon some food on their plates, then stop and gasp "do you need to take a picture of this!". I always chuckle. How considerate of them to think of me and my hobby. I don't always take pictures of everything I make, and if I do, I try to do it preferably before guests arrive because it's just easier that way.

How about you fellow food bloggers? Are you reserved about your food blog or have you let everyone in your life know about it?

...

These banana pecan bars are moist and chocolatey good without being too sweet. I brought them over to a friend's house and they were a hit. However, since they were pretty moist (which is a good thing), it makes them more crumbly so it really should be given out on a plate with a fork. These were more cake-like, not as firm as something you can grab and eat over a napkin, as I assume the term "bars" implies.

...

banana pecan bars
makes about 18 bars

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Beat sugar and butter together at medium speed until creamy. Add bananas, egg and vanilla until well blended.

Combine flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in medium bowl. Add this to to banana mixture until well blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.

Divide batter in half. Stir cocoa into one half. Spread chocolate batter into 9x13 prepared pan. Top with plain batter. Swirl with knife.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until done at 350F. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Recipe adapted from: Cocoa Bottom Banana Pecan Bars. KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes.

Wrote by Maki

Toast with brie, egg over easy and caramelized onions.

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I really like onions. There, I said it.

I think there are lots of folks who are grimacing right now. Folks like my father-in-law, for example, whose face crinkles up with disgust if you even mention the word. Onions, onions, onions! HA!

But, I can't help it, I think it's in my genes. My mother tells me that her father would eat onions like apples. Now, I'm not sure what kind of onions he grew (ones that would be less potent I'm guessing) or if he had some superhero power that enabled this, but my onion-loving gene is diluted down some in comparison to his.

I love the potent flavor of them when they are sliced thin in salads, or the mellow flavor and texture when cooked in a stirfries or my favorite, sweet and delicious when they are caramelized like in the above picture.

There is one thing I dislike about them though. It's when I have to cut into one. I will cry the most ugliest of cries, running away from the kitchen, blinded by the volatile gases that irritate my eyes. And no, a sharper knife, chewing gum or running the onions under water does not seem to help me at all. And, I refuse to wear goggles, thankyouverymuch. The only thing that helps, for me, is keeping the onions in the refrigerator beforehand and then cutting them quickly while they are still cold. Works like a charm.

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caramelized onions

Choose any onions, be it yellow, white or red. Aim for one onion per person per serving. They cook down in size considerably.

Remove the outer onion skin and ends and slice the onion in half and then into thin strips.

Pour enough oil to at least coat the bottom of the non-stick skillet. Heat the skillet on high heat and add the onions all at once, stirring to evenly coat with oil. Reduce the heat to medium low. Pile them high if there is a lot, as they do cook down considerably.

Cook and mix the onions about every 8 to 10 minutes. Add more oil if needed (if onions appear to be burning). After 25 to 30 minutes, the onion will turn a a golden brown. Remove from heat and serve.

Wrote by Maki

I can spend lots of time in a kitchenware store. Looking at plates, different kitchen gadgets and tables linens. So many different colors and shapes, it's really hard to not pick up things every time you go. However, I have a very practical side to me (and frugal side) and I often think to myself... "not more things to clutter and take up space in my kitchen cabinets and drawers". I try to be very bare bones but every once in a while, I say forgetaboutit.

Like a couple of months ago when I bought the above ramekins. I thought of all the things I can make in them and at 2 for a $1 at the ever so popular dollar store, that's crazy cheap, how can you not buy them! Before, my practical side would let me bypass them at previous visits, telling me "are you really going to use them?" But this time, that voice must have been squashed because I bought six of them... set me out a whole three dollars. Crazy I know.

The real crazy part is that I've never made a souffle before. Never! How can that be? Maybe it's because I've never had ramekins before. Yeah... that's probably it, huh? tee hee.

I opened up a magazine and there was a recipe, screaming out my name, for easy souffles. Anything that says easy, when you have never made it before, is a big ole bonus. Plus, those ramekins were chattering away in my kitchen cabinets for a couple of months, asking to be used. Or maybe it was my practical conscious, with a smug voice, saying "uh huh... knew you wouldn't use them".

They were pretty easy to make. AND tasty. I quite enjoyed them but unfortunately, my poor little souffles dropped. I pulled them out of the oven, they were proudly standing up high. Then I ran into the other room to get my camera and the minute it took to get back, well, poof... deflated.

But, I couldn't care less... I used my ramekins. The question now is if they will come out again or will they become one hit wonders?

...

mushroom cheddar souffles
makes 6 ramekins

6 tbsp butter
2 cups diced mushrooms
salt and pepper
8 tsp flour
1.5 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp chopped young green onions

In skillet, heat 2 tbsp of butter over medium-high and saute mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to cook until golden and no liquid remains, about 5 minutes.

In a saucepan, melt remaining butter over medium heat and stir in flour. Whisk and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and a pinch of salt and pepper, allow to boil and thicken for about 3 minutes. Take off heat.

Whisk in egg yolks and let stand for 10 minutes.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold in half into cooled egg yolk mixture. Fold in remaining half. Fold in mushrooms, cheese and green onions.

Divide between 6 greased ramekins. Set ramekins into a baking dish and pour enough hot water into dish to come up halfway up the sides of ramekins. Bake in 400F for about 25 mintues, until golden brown, puffed and center is set.

Adapted from: Easy mushroom swiss souffles, Canadian Living magazine, February 2009 issue.

Wrote by Maki

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