Red Beans and Rice

If you want a simple but filling and healthy meal, this is definitely a recipe to try! Beans are incredibly good for you, and this rice is flavored with chicken broth, which ups both the flavor and health content.

Ingredients:

·      1 tbsp canola oil

·      2 large cloves garlic, minced

·      1 large red onion, diced

·      1 stalk celery, diced

·      1 green bell pepper, diced

·      2 cans (1 pound) red adzuki beans

·      1 tbsp onion powder

·      2 tsp garlic powder

·      2 tsp salt

·      1 tsp black pepper

·      1.5 tbsp hot sauce

·      2 cups jasmine rice + enough chicken broth to cook it in the rice cooker

·      2 tbsp butter

·      1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

Pour the uncooked rice, chicken broth, and butter in the rice cooker and cook the rice. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, and sautee the garlic, onion, and bell pepper until tender. Add the beans, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and reduce the heat to low to let the mixture simmer gently until the rice is done. Make sure you taste-test the beans throughout the cooking process and adjust the flavor according to your tastes. Once the rice is done, fold the rice and beans gently together, transfer to a serving dish, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!

Salt Block Cooking and Caring

Hello! Today’s post is about salt blocks! They’ve become a popular form of entertainment cooking because they create fun serving platters, season the food (since they’re salt), and you can cook directly on them! The salt blocks tend to be a bit expensive, but they last a good amount of time and are a lot of fun to use. I will describe in this post how to use and clean them properly.

How to heat the blocks for searing

Place the salt block on a baking tray and place the try in a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 250ºF and allow the block to heat up with the oven to the desired temperature. Best usage when heating to 500ºF.

How to clean the blocks

Wait for the block to cool to room temperature. Wipe down the block with a damp sponge or paper towel, using as little water as possible. Avoid using soap and too much water so you don’t damage the salt crystals.

Recipe Ideas

·      Sear thinly sliced beef and vegetables (asparagus, zucchini, etc.) on its surface with a little oil or butter

·      Cure sashimi on its surface (freeze salt blocks for an hour beforehand) by placing the fish on the salt blocks surface, place in the fridge for five minutes, then flip for another five minutes. Make sure fish is as dry as possible

·      You can just use the block as a serving plate for salads, sushi, sorbets, cheeses, and more

Salt block cooking is fun for both the host and guests at a party, so enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Pie

Now that I think about it, I haven’t met a single person that disliked lemons, so if you do, call me out on that in the comments, but I guess it’s just one of those flavors that isn’t disliked by anyone. Anyway, hi there!  Today’s recipe is lemon meringue pie! This isn’t too challenging of a pie to make, and its sour filling contrasting with the flaky crust and soft, sweet meringue is just amazing. So enjoy baking!

Ingredients:

·      3 tbsp cornstarch

·      3/4 cups water

·      3 large egg yolks

·      1 cup sugar

·      1/3 cup lemon juice

·      1 tsp lemon zest

·      6 large egg whites, at room temperature

·      ½ tsp cream of tartar

·      6 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar

Prepare the pie pastry as described here.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine the cornstarch and ¼ cup of the water in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Whisk together the egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, and remaining water in a saucepan until combined, and then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Heat to a boil over high heat whisking constantly, then allow it to boil for an extra minute until it thickens and looks almost clear. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest, scrape the filling into a bowl, and place plastic wrap on the surface to keep the filling hot.

In a large bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat with a hand or stand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add the superfine sugar and continue to beat until stiff, shiny peaks form.

Pour the lemon filling into the crust, and place the meringue over the filling evenly, mounting it in the center. Use a spoon to make small peaks on the top and bake for 12-17 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. Let the pie cool for an hour and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Enjoy!

Mac and Cheesy Goodness

At some point I’ll more summery foods, but I’ve been getting into these rich, filling foods recently, but there will be more posts soon that fit the season (or you can check out my ice cream recipes here). But until then, today is mac and cheese! I’ll admit, when I was younger I wasn’t sure about mac and cheese, but now…! Mac and cheese is a lot of fun to make, and you just throw it all together in one pot and one pan and then you just have a mound of awesomeness. So let’s make some mac!

Ingredients:

·      1 tsp salt for pasta

·      1 pound elbow macaroni

·      6 tbsp butter

·      3 cups milk

·      1 cup heavy cream

·      1 tbsp black pepper

·      1 pound white cheddar, shredded

·      2-4 oz Romano, shredded

·      2-4 oz Asiago, shredded

·      2 cups bread crumbs

·      2 tbsp parsley, fresh or dried

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Fill a large pot with water, add the 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain, run with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Sprinkle a little bit of the flour over the butter and quickly whisk it in, and repeat until all the flour has been incorporated. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add all the cold milk at once and whisk quickly until all of the roux has dissolved. Cook this sauce over medium low heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Add the heavy cream, the cheeses, a pinch of salt, and the black pepper, and cook until the cheese has fully melted. Taste for seasoning, and add any other cheeses or flavors you’d like, such as cooked cauliflower, bacon, paprika, and cayenne. Add the macaroni to the cheese and combine thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Top with the parsley, and then you’re all set!

Maple Glazed Salmon and Onion-Mashed Potatoes

Happy end of the week! It’s definitely feeling more like summer these days; it’s been getting hot. But rather than do a summery post (which there will be plenty of, believe me), I’ve decided to do a warm filling dinner post, especially since college doesn’t provide you with much of those. So today’s is maple glazed salmon with a side of onion-mashed potatoes! This is incredibly delicious, and the sweetness of the glaze contrasts the salty mashed potatoes in a perfect way. So give it a shot!

Ingredients:

·      ¼ cup brandy

·      1 ¼ cups maple syrup

·      1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

·      2 medium onions, roughly chopped

·      2 tbsp vegetable oil

·      2 pounds red potatoes

·      2/3 cup milk, heated to a simmer

·      2 tbsp unsalted butter

·      Salt and pepper to taste

·      4 salmon fillets, about 7oz each

·      2 tbsp vegetable oil

Pour the brandy into a pan, light it on fire, and flambé for about 5-10 seconds. Add the maple syrup to the pan and heat at medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch/water mixture and simmer for 5 minutes, and then cool to room temperature. This is the maple glaze.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Toss the onions in 2 tbsp oil and bake for about 15 minutes, or until soft, and puree the onions in the blender. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the potatoes, cover, and boil until fork-tender (easily pierced with a fork). Remove the potatoes and place them in a bowl, and mash them with the onions, milk, and butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush the salmon with oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, and sear both sides, about 1 minute each side. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, drizzle 1 tbsp of the maple glaze, and bake for 12-15 minutes. Place a salmon fillet on a plate, top with potatoes, and drizzle some more glaze on top. Enjoy!

Awesome Mashed Potato Bar!

Hello! This summer I’m actually still on campus completing research, so I won’t be able to do as much cooking and baking as I’d like, but on the weekends I’ll be able to go home, so I’ll definitely be cooking and baking up a ton. So this past weekend my family wanted me to makes some stuff, so I made steamed buns (click here for the recipe) and a mashed potato bar! It’s really simple, fun to set up, and really yummy! All you have to do is make simple mashed potatoes and a bunch of your favorite mashed potato toppings, line them up, and fill your bowl with all of it to enjoy!

Ingredients:

·      6 red potatoes

·      2 cups half and half, warmed up

·      4 tbsp butter, melted

·      Salt

·      Pepper

·      Shaved butter (see Tip#1 here on how to do this)

·      Sauteed shallots and chives (heat a pan over high heat, add a couple tablespoons oil and cook until translucent)

·      Roasted garlic

·      ½ cup sour cream

·      Smoked paprika

·      Crispy bacon bits

Fill a large pot with water about 2/3 of the way up and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, cover, lower the heat to medium, and cook until a knife pieces the flesh with no resistance, about 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the pot, remove the skin from the potatoes, and transfer to a medium-large bowl. Add the half and half and melted butter and mash the potatoes to the consistency you’d like. Place the shaved butter, sautéed shallots and chives, roasted garlic, sour cream, paprika, bacon bits, and any other toppings you’d like in individual bowls, and line them up. Get yourself a bowl, fill it with mashed potatoes, and top with the toppings you like!

Bon appetit~!

Fun Tips to Try!

It’s been a while since I’ve shared some fun tips for the kitchen, so today’s post features cool tricks for your cooking and baking! 

1.     Freeze butter and grate it using a cheese grater! You can use the shavings for recipes needing cold butter, or you can put it on foods you want to put melted butter on because the shavings melt much faster than chucks of better (toast, bagels, baked potatoes, etc.).

2.     Reheat pasta in a doughnut shape; it will warm up much more evenly because the heat can more easily access all the pasta.

3.     Place a paper towel over a bowl of lettuce or salad, cover with plastic wrap, and it will help keep the lettuce fresh for about a week.

4.     You can use unscented floss to cut through soft food fairly easily, such as cake (helps make flat, even layers of cake).

5.     If you want to juice lemons, limes, or oranges, if you roll them with the palm of your hand, pressing down medium-hard, you’ll get more juice out of them.

6.     It you coat measuring cups and spoons with non-stick spray, sticky substances (peanut butter, honey, molasses, etc.) won’t stick to the tools.

7.     You can freeze your fresh herbs in olive oil to use for pasta sauce or cooking meats and vegetables.

8.     If you cook fish on top of lemons on the grill, the fish won’t stick to the grill AND you’ll have a hint of lemon in your dish.

9.     Freeze fruit and citrus slices in water and use them in seltzer, alcoholic, or fruit drinks.

10.  To cook bacon quickly, throw it in the waffle iron to crisp it up.

Keep on cooking and baking with these fun tricks!