Monday, April 25, 2011

Avocado Smoothie

1 avocado per person, but 2 for me cause I'm greedy
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, the more the better
4 ice cubes
Blend.

Very thick as you can see, add more ice cubes and milk to adjust to desired consistency.

Red Velvet Cake

My first attempt.

In a bowl, mix together flour and salt

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
1/2 bottle red food coloring
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup milk
1 tbsp lemon juice





Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs.

In separate bowl, mix cocoa and food coloring; saving some coloring for entire batter.

Mix baking soda and vinegar separately.

This is a substitute for buttermilk. 1 cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Mix in cocoa and food coloring with creamed sugar and margarine. Add more food coloring if necessary for color.

Alternate parts of flour and buttermilk into margarine.

I threw in some chocolate chips and almond bits.

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes in a 9 X 13 pan, or 2 9 inch rounds.

Frost with cream cheese icing.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Head lettuce, white onion, tomato, falafel, oregano chicken, tahini, sweet garlic sauce, tzatziki all sandwiched between whole wheat pita bread. Perfection.

2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast. 1 teaspoon honey. 1/2 cup warm water.

Hang out for 5 minutes.

Some carbs are good for you.

2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose flour.

Measure 1/2 cup of the flour mixture into different bowl.

Whisk yeast mixture into second flour bowl. Cover for about 1/2 hour somewhere warm.

Mix the rest of the flour in, add 3/4 cup warm water, 1/4 cup evoo.

Knead into a ball.

Cover and rest again for 1 hour until dough doubles in bulk.

Voila

Punch out air.

Section into 8 pieces.

Roll out into 7 inch discs.

Rest between towels.

Bake in 500 degrees for 2 minutes per side. Some inflated, some didn't deflate, others failed. Delicious overall.

Marinate 1 chicken breast in oregano, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Tahini time!

Toast sesame seeds for 10 minutes. Fragrant.

Blended in the magic bullet with 1/4 cup olive oil.

Add garlic and 1 tbsp lemon juice. The acid thickens the mixture.

Remove seeds and grate half a cucumber. Squeeze out excess water.

Drain the cucumber again, sprinkle salt to draw out more liquid.

Take a great big spoonful and mix with cucumber. Add garlic.

Something else was missing.. donair sauce. 2/3 cup evaporated milk, 1 spoonful of sugar, 1 garlic clove, 1 tbsp granulated garlic, slowly drizzle in 2 tbsp vinegar to thicken. I do not like the sauce too sweet. 

Snacking

Snacking simultaneously... 

Cook chicken

Chicken and falafel

The sauces make the meal. The drippy stuff is the sweet garlic sauce, the white is tzatziki, thick chunky stuff is tahini sauce.

Nirvana.

Fish Congee

Home sweet home.

Marinate 1 basa fillet. 
sesame oil
white part of scallions, save green for garnish
ginger

1 cup of rice.
Soak it in water for 1/2 hour. Break the grains between your palm.
(optional)

 
 Stock is optional. Chicken would be hearty. I used 2 cups of fish stock.

Boil broken rice with 2 cups stock, 4 cups water.  Gentle rolling boil, stir often to prevent rice sticking and burning.

After refrigeration, the basa chunks were fragrant and this raw concoction reminded me of sashimi, it was delicious.

When rice is soft, stir in fish. Turn heat off.

Had another basa filet. Salt, pepper, olive oil.

Broil for 5 mins per side.

Lunch!