Writing everything I can think of

Happy Holidays to all!!

Since I'm on winter break, I've been studying for my exams and test that are on the week after break. Hahah that's just a joke, I realized that today, I should really get my homework done, so of course, at the last minute, I'm starting it. It's very strange, why do teachers give us homework the week after break, but tell us not to worry or study during break! How are we not supposed to worry or study if we know they're going to smack us with a billion tests? I also realized that SAT prep will start soon, so I should get started on that too. I mean, if I want to be a chef, I gotta be smart too, right? So in one of my SAT prep books, they told me about the writing section. On my PSAT, I scored a 4 out of 12 on my writing section. Yeah, kinda sucks doesn't it? Ah well I'm not going to let it bother me. The book said that I should open up a blog and write about everything possible. So here I am, writing everything possible! I think I'll mostly write about food (since I love it so much) but there are going to be times where I write about other things (relationship advice, what type of jeans to wear, colors that match with skin tone) the works! Besides, it'll be a good way for me to breathe during my crazy days of school.


Let the random writing begin!

Pumpkin Muffins

Back again!

Phew! I just put the muffins in the oven for the big race tomorrow. I used Libbys canned pumpkin which is great because you can use it for so many other things (waffles, cake, pie etc). The website: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/specialty/libbys-detail-pcb.aspx. Hopefully my camera will work because these things are beautiful.

Ta ta for now!

Veri's Pumpkin Waffles

Hey All!

I've been craving pumpkin waffles all week! My friend Veri (who's in vietnam!) showed this recipe to me last year. They're AMAZING. I won't be able to post pictures but here's the recipe!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pumpkin-waffles-with-maple-walnut-apples-recipe/index.html

I also found another recipe so you can try both, but I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with either!!

http://pumpkinwaffles.wordpress.com/ultimate-pumpkin-waffle-recipe/

Blondies!

Hey everyone!

I'm about to go downstairs and bake some brownies! One of my team memebers asked me to make them for his birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!) so here's the recipe!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blonde-Brownies-I/Detail.aspx

Thumbprint Jam Cookies: The Cookies

So I finished my cookies and pictures will be up soon I promise. I used the recipe from here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/jam-thumbprints-recipe/index.html. Make sure you leave the butter out for a long time so it comes to room temperature; thats the only way to guarentee perfect cookies. I had more jam than batter so I recomend doubling the cookie recipe.

Jam Cookies: Jam

Jam

Ingredients

16oz (2 cups) of dried apricots and frozen strawberries
1 1/3 cups of Orange Juice
2/3 cups of honey
desired amount of whiskey, bristol creme, grand mariner etc (optional)

Directions

1. cut the apricots into little pieces
2. put in a saucer on medium heat with honey, orange juice and desired liquor
3. stir occaisonally and wait until all liquid is boiled out. Turn down the heat to low and let simmer
4. repeat the same steps for the strawberries

Thumbprint Jam Cookies

First Timer: Jam Cookies!

I've made hamentaschen (I'll post the recipe later) so now I'm trying something similar. There's two steps: Making the Jam and then making the cookies.

Team Baking!

Hello everyone!

So I've been really busy with summer and getting back to school but I'm now ready to start baking some more! This is a list of different (big) recipes for my Cross Country Team

Quiche Lorraine

Long time no see!

I've been busy vacationing in beautiful Barbados with most of my family. I was given a daunting task, though: quiche lorraine. It's my cousin's favorite quiche and also mine too.  The recipe I used is here : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/quiche-lorraine-recipe/index.html. Pictures will be coming soon!

Honey mustard sauce

Hey all,

At my cousins house we decided to cook a ham. We wanted a really sweet and delicious sauce to go with it. We mixed honey, mustard(could be frenchs or grey poupon) and brown sugar. You can also mix a little pineapple juice to give it more flavor

Mayo?

So I was looking at a few different websites about how to get perfectly moist cake, and one website said put in mayo. Really strange to me, but I tried it this morning when making my friend Mixie's cake. Right now it's in the oven so we'll see!

Day 3-Assembling the Cake

Now it's time to complete the cake!

1. Take the first layer of the cake and place it in a plate.



2. using a flat spatula, put one layer of whip cream on the cake



3. with a slotted spoon (a spoon with holes in it, similar to a colinder), drain the strawberries and put ontop of the whip cream.



4. put another layer of whip cream onto of the strawberries



5. add another layer of cake, so it looks like a sandwich. if it looks like there are open spots underneath the cake, put more whip cream



6. put the strawberries on top (either in the center or spread them out)



7. use the left over whip cream to put on the sides of the cake, the same way you would use normal frosting for a cake.



8. if you have piping, you can use it to decorate your cake!



9. when serving your cake, use the left over juices from the strawberries and pour over the cake. This makes it moist and gives it a great flavor

enjoy

Day 2-Strawberry Compote

First, you need to hull the strawberries:

http://localfoods.about.com/od/preparationtips/ss/HullStrawberry.htm

**make sure that you get the end of the stem (a long fleshy part in the center of the strawberry) out of the strawberry.

Ingredients

• 2 containers of strawberries, hulled and quartered (2 pints)


• 1/4 a cup of grand mariner liquer


• 1/2 cup of sugar


• a pinch of salt


• 2 tablespoons of lemon or orange juice(optional)

In a medium sized mixing bowl, pour in strawberries with sugar. por Grand Mariner Liquer in the mixing bowl, and stir. Let it sit for about 25 minutes so that the juices are formed.

Cooked Compote

Most fruit compotes are cooked. In order to cook your compote, first add a little bit of water a pot at low heat. Add in the orange juice, liquer and sugar. Then add in the strawberries until all are evenly coated and the juices start to flow.

Then, follow the recipe for whip cream to make the ceram for the shortcake, but use 2 pints of heavy cream, and add sugar to flavor

Ashley Jack's Barbecue Sauce

Hey all,

If you want a really delicious sauce for burgers, fry the burgers with Jack Daniels Barbecue sauce (or straight Jack Daniels), Peter Luger's Steak Sauce (or your favorite steak sauce) and apple juice. Mix these together in the frying pan with the burgers until the sauce caramelizies. The flavors will infuse into the burgers. After the burgers are a nice brown, cooked color, put them on your buns, and serve with your choice of condiments. You can use the sauce as a condiment for your burgers. Works well with mayo for mayo lovers

Enjoy!



**Credits to one of my best friends, Ashley Jack

Day 1- Shortcake

Alright let's get started!

Ingredients

• 8 eggs separated at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• sugar
• 2 cup of all purpose flower
• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 3 teaspoon double acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form, as if you were making meringue. Add in 1/2 a cup of sugar, a little bit at a time.
2. heat oven to 325. grease and flour two 9'' circular pans.
3. while the egg whites are beating, mix yolks, flour, water, oil, baking powder, vanilla and 1 cup of sugar.
4. pour in the egg white mixture into the flour mixture. blend well
5. pour into the pans, and bake for an hour, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger.
6. while cakes are cooking, clean the kitchen!

Day 1- Father's Day

Father's Day Special

Hey,





So my dad's favorite dessert is Strawberry Shortcake, which I probably mentioned before. I decided that I would mix two different recipes to get the full flavors I wanted. My plan is to make the strawberry shortcake and whip cream today, put and put it in the fridge. Then tomorrow, I'm going to take the strawberries and make it into a strawberry compote for the cake. This is a little bit of a daunting task since my dad is a baker, and I want this to be perfect!

so busy!

Hey everyone,

Sorry I haven't been posting much, I've been kinda busy! I have some new ideas and delicious things coming up so keep on reading!


Thanks

-D

Chocolate Chip Cookies

mmm yummy an all time classic and favorite

Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 3/4 cups of brown sugar
• 1 cup of flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• Walnuts(optional)

In a mixer

1. grease a baking sheet with Crisco or put wax paper on the baking sheet. light oven to 360 degrees
2. 1 stick of butter and then 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Mix evenly until you get a nice fluffy consistency.
3. Then add 1 egg 1 teaspoon of vanilla. As you add this is in, make sure everything is stirred in equally.
4. Then add in 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon, a pinch of salt,1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
5. When everything is evenly stirred, take a spoonful of the batter and drop it onto a baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are evenly spread apart because they will expand while baking.
6. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until golden brow

Fried Rice

I love chinese food and one day I tried my hand at making some!

• 2 cups of rice


• 1 cup of water


• a package of mushrooms


• 5 strips of bacon


• 3 eggs


• green pepper, onion for flavoring


• soy sauce

Preparing the rice

1. cook the rice as you normally would. Always remember the ratio: 2 cups of rice to 1 cup of water. Put the cup of water into pot on the stove, add some onions and a dash of salt. Wait until this boils

2. I'm not sure if everyone does this but I always wash my rice first. Put the 2 cups of rice in a bowl and wash with lukewarm water. Do this until the water becomes clear and not cloudy

3. Put the rice in the boiling pot and place a lid. Don't completely cover the pot because the water will bubble over.

4. When the water is almost out of the pot, turn the stove down to a simmer until it's nice and fluffy. Always stirr with a fork to separate the grains

Aunt June's Cake

My aunt June who lived in Barbados gave my mother this recipe. This post is dedicated to her loving memory.

Ingredients

• 3 sticks of butter
• 1 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1 3/4 cups of flower
• 9 eggs
• 2-3 tablespoons (tbsp) of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of mixed (or vanilla) essence
• some pumpking spice and nutmeg
• and a little bit of lime for a nice kick
• oven heated at 360 degrees

Directions

1. Flour baking pans (pans of course are optional. If you want to make cupcakes, put them in the cupcakes pan. If you're making a regular cake, grease the pan with butter because it adds good flavor, not PAM or any of that crazy stuff. After you've added the butter, place a small amount of flower in the pan, and move it around so a light layer of flour is around the pan. This stops the cake from sticking to the pans.
2. Cream butter & sugar for about half an hour or more until it's light and fluffy
3. Add in the eggs, lime juice and essence
4. Make sure everything is evenly blended
5. Add flour, baking power, spices and blend
6. Place into the oven until golden brown, and make sure to use a toothpick to stick the cake. If it comes out clean, that means it's ready!
7. Frost cake as desired or eat it plain

Enjoy!

Spinach Quiche

A different way to prepare ordinary spinach into a yummy dish! Now most people don't have enough time to get freshly cut spinach from the local farmers market, so I used frozen spinach. Not the world's healthiest choice but this does help if you're at home and you need to cook something easy.

1. heat oven to 350 degrees
   
   
2. Take 2 packs of frozen spinach and put into a pot to thaw. pour 1/2 cup of water in the pot. put the cover on the pot not completely, giving it a little air
   
   
3. While this is going on, fry five slices of bacon in a large frying pan. Make sure the stove is at medium heat, and frequently check it to make sure it doesn't burn.
   
   
4. Break three eggs and mix with a little of salt and pepper.


5. Cut off a small block of your desired cheese (I recomend motzarella and swiss). Mix the cheese with the egg.



6. Check on the spinach and the bacon. By now the spinach should be completely thawed. Using a collinder, drain it out, and put it back in the pot.

1. Take the bacon and put it on a plate with paper towels. Make sure that the oil drains out of the bacon. Break the bacon into little pieces.
2. Mix a little bit of butter and pepper in the spinach, to taste.
   Add in the bacon.

Traditional quiche usually has a pie crust, but since most people don't have time to make a pie crust, you can put extra cheese in the bottom of the glass custard cups.

Spoon the spinach into the glass custard cups. Add in the egg mixture. Put cheese ontop.

Bake in oven for about an hour or until the cheese is fully melted and is a slight brown color.

Enjoy!

NEW MIXER!!

Heya!

So I've been asking my parents for a new mixer since I broke my other one and IT CAME TODAY!! It's a beautiful Kitchen Aid Professional 600 and it's red! I shall celebrate by making something awesome tomorrow. Not feeling so great so I can't making anything tonight but I do have a good recipe...

Separating Eggs

I had such a hard time learning how to do this, but I guarentee with lots of practice, you can become an expert! Learning how to separate eggs is crucial for making special pies and meringues

1. Take out your number of eggs and place them in a bowl.


2. using a knife, crack the top part of the egg, and take off the top part of the shell.


3. With the top part taken off, pour the egg into your hand. That's right directly into your hand.


4. Throw the empty shell away (unless you want to use it as fertilizer for your pants) and pour the egg from your left hand, to the right, making sure that the yolk stays intact and the egg flows out of your hand.

Cooking Tips

Here are some cooking tips that I have learned the hard way (haha)...

1. when cooking with chocolate, (semi-sweet, unsweetened etc) make sure you ALWAYS have your heat on low. Chocolate burns very easily

Whipped Cream

Mmmm...sounds yummy doesn't it?

Tons of people use redi or miracle whip, but wouldn't you like to make your own? I tried this a few weeks ago for mother's day and it was a HIT!

1. have a cool whip, cold whipping cream and cold steel bowl before you start making your whip cream. It makes things a lot easier.
2. Take a cup of heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and whip together, the same way you would whip egg whites. you want to make sure that it becomes stiff and little peaks form.
3. Not enough sugar or vanilla? ADD SOME MORE! People are always worrying if they need to strictly follow the recipe. You don't. If you think something doesn't have enough sugar, then add some sugar. It's your instinct, and you should always follow it

Red Velvet Cake

This is my specialty! I first tried it when I was eleven years old. My aunt made some, brought it over to the house and I was hooked! I told my mom and that I had to try to make it. Both of my parents thought I was too young to bake an entire cake by myself. Little did they know that I was determined to make the best Red Velvet Cake EVER. I have tried many recipies but this is by far the best!

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.
3. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well.
4. Sift together flour and salt.
5. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.
6. Blend in vanilla.
7. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture.
8. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans.
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

This came from Paula Dean's recipe. She's an amazing cook. She always makes me smile and inspires me.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grandmother-pauls-red-velvet-cake-recipe/index.html

Kai's Key Lime Pie

This recipe is dedicated to an awesome baker that I know, Kai Arindell. You can look at her blog here http://thefoodspatula.blogspot.com/


Ingredients- Pie
¼ cup of lime juice
1 can of condensed milk
2 eggs yolk
1 drop of green food coloring (optional)
1 store bought graham cracker pie crust (or follow directions)
Ingredients-Meringue
¼ cup of sugar
¼ cream of tartar
2 egg whites

Directions- Pie
1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees Farienheight
2. Stir lime juice, condensed milk and egg yolks
3. Pour mixture into pie crust and bake until firm. Make sure that the pie isn’t runny by testing it with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, that means it’s fully cooked. While that’s baking, start to make meringue.

Making Meringue

This took a long time for me to master but the results are amazing!

1. take out your number of eggs (will vary on recipe) and leave them in a bowl to get to room temperature. It's easier to whip eggs when they aren't cold.
2. Mix egg whites and cream of tartar together. The cream of tartar makes it easier for the eggs to form stiff peakes
3. Using a copper bowl, whip eggs together. Why a copper bowl? Because the copper bowl and the egg whites make a chemical reaction that makes it easier to whip the eggs. I don't have a copper bowl (yet) so I just use a glass bowl. Never use plastic or titanium.
4. Gradually whip in sugar. This process may take a while if done by hand, but the results are amazing. Keep whipping until the egg whites, tartar and sugar turn completely white and start to get stiff. Make sure that the egg whites form stiff peaks so that they can stand on their own.

Hello!

Hello all!

When I was little, I would watch cooking shows with my dad. I would always see the chefs in their beautiful white uniforms and aprons, whisking, beating, grilling or doing something that always sparked my imagination. The first time I watched a cooking show, it was Emeril Lagasse with his great smile and happy face telling people how to make baked alaska. I was hooked.

I still watch cooking shows and wonder: Will I ever be as good as them? And I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. This blog is to help the average person make delicious meals just like the pros. I'm talking about souffles, sauted mushrooms, creme brulee, coconut sticky rice, the list goes on! I live in NYC and like anyone who lives here, we never have any time to do anything. That's going to be another part of this blog.

I will post new messages, videos & links every week (or weekend).

Thanks for reading!

Daria