Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan)

As much as Bacon, I equally love my veggies too. I've learned that there are alternatives to cooking, and many ways to substitute ingredients to find that loophole in eating treats. This is a fantastic way to disguise some extra nutrients in your brownies. You get some extra protein (5.6 grams per brownie) iron from the cocoa, with a vegetable serving, all at the same time. I call that a WIN!

3/4 cup Garnet Yam or Sweet potato, mashed

1 cup peanut butter
 (creamy or chunky, they both work)
1 tsp Vanilla extract

1/3 cup AP flour (You can substitute Oat or gluten free flour)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips + more for the top, optional

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp salt

Mix Peanut Butter, Yam and vanilla extract. Stir in dry ingredients until well incorporated. Spread evenly on a 8x8 Brownie pan and Bake at 325˚ for 20min, until the middle is no longer gooey. (Yes, that's a technical term). Here's the hardest part. WAIT until cooled to cut and eat.

Scallion Pancake

It's about time I post how to make these. As much as Thanksgiving Turkey is a tradition, so is Turkey Jook and Scallion Pancakes the next morning. My Aunt used to make these for the family and was the Master Chef and never measured a thing. For all the in between time I wanted them, I started making them as well. I also don't measure anything while making these, so here goes some approximations with pictures.


Ingredients
3 c AP Flour
1 c water
4 tbs Vegetable Shortening or Lard
1.5 tbs sesame oil
2 tsp Kosher salt
5 stalks scallions, chopped (1.5c)
Vegetable oil or Bacon renderings for frying.

The dough is 2-2.5c AP flour to 1c room temperature water. Mix until it's a soft shaggy ball and cover. Let rest for 4-12 hours.

On a well floured surface, roll out the dough. 

Spread a thin layer of lard or vegetable shortening (crisco) evenly. 

Add a thin layer of sesame oil. Sprinkle salt and scallions. Roll up the dough and cut into 2.5-3in pieces. 

Pinch both ends closed, flatten and roll out into a pancake. Add a little vegetable oil to a pan and fry on a medium heat until browned. (Tip when it begins to be translucent, flip).

Let cool until you no longer burn your mouth and EAT!

Milk Bread

Asian stlyes milk bread is another favorite. Soft and moist, but not too sweet. This makes the BEST french toast, PB&J's and a mean base for cinnamon raisin bread (pictured left). 

Tangzhou
1/2c Milk
2 Tbs Bread flour

Dough
2 1/2c Bread Flour
2 tsp Yeast
1 egg
1/2 c Milk
2 Tbs Butter
3 Tbs Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Kosher Salt

Heat up Milk and Bread Flour, whisking to create the Tangzhou. This

comes out like a Roux. Set aside to cool and whisk in the egg.

In a bowl, mix the remaining dry ingredients. Warm your milk and butter to lukewarm and add to the bowl with the Tangzhou. Mix until it becomes a ball. Cover and let sit until the dough doubles, about an hour depending on your room temperature. Punch down and let the dough rise again.

Cut dough into quarters. Flatten, fold into thirds. Roll out and then roll into a ball in the pan. Let proof for 30 minutes. Brush with an egg wash and Bake at 350˚ for 15-18 minutes, until browned on top.

Chex Mix

A favorite snack back in the Hawaiian Islands and crowd pleaser at parties, at the beach, or by yourself on the couch bingeing on Netflix.

Sauce Base
1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup light corn syrup

2 tbs Shoyu sauce


Snack Mix
2 (12oz) packages crispy corn and rice cereal (Chex, Crispex, etc)
2c pretzels
1.5c Roasted Peanuts

optional
additional mix ideas (Cheerios, honeycomb, bugels) 
1 (1.9 ounce) bottle aji nori furikake

Directions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).

Melt the butter and sugar together in a small sauce pan over low heat. Remove from heat, then stir in the corn oil and corn syrup. Place the cereal on a large baking sheet. Pour the butter mixture over the cereal, then sprinkle the furikake while tossing the cereal to coat.

Bake in the preheated oven until the cereal is dry, stirring every 15 minutes to keep cereal from browning too quickly. Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container.

Bobka!

Fred's Bakery  has the best bobka on the west side of LA. This doesn't quite compare to theirs, but you can't go wrong with chocolate and bread.

Bread

1 packet 7g Active dry yeast
1/2 cup Whole milk
3 Tbsps Sugar
2-3/4 cup  All purpose flour (OR 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 white whole wheat flour)
3 Eggs
1 Yolk
2 tsps Kosher salt
7 ounces Butter, softened

2 eggs Whisked, for egg wash

Chocolate Bobka filling
4 ounces Chocolate, finely chopped
4 ounces Butter
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Powdered sugar 

Directions
Place the milk, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand.

Add the flour, eggs and yolks and salt and mix for about 6 minutes with the dough hook.
Check for a windowpane and add the butter until incorporated. 

Cover the dough and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

To shape, first flour your work table and a rolling pin. Grab your babka filling and a spreading spatula or spoon. 

At this stage, you can choose to either make one large babka (in a 10" round cake pan or large loaf pan) or split the dough into two smaller babkas in regular rectangular loaf pans. Line the loaf pans with parchment paper. 

Roll out the dough into one large rectangle (about 10"x15") or two smaller ones. The rectangle should be wider from side to side. Spread the babka filling everywhere except the last 1" on the top of the rectangle. Roll the rectangle up in a tight log and pinch the naked edge up into the exposed dough. 

Divide the roll in two and twist them together. Place the dough into your pan(s). Proof at room temperature for about 2 hours. 

Preheat your oven to 375F. Brush the top of the loave(s) with egg wash. Place in the oven and turn the heat down to 350F immediately. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes before unmolding. 

Mix it all together.

Pickled Onions

A simple but excellent garnish to so many dishes. I like them on Avocado Toast, Tacos, and in sandwiches.

1/2 c Vinegar
1/2 c Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tbs Sugar
1 large Red onion, sliced.

Place all ingredients in a Mason Jar and let sit in the refrigerator for a week before eating. You'll know they're ready when the onion color in the jar is uniformed. The jar will last for months, well, they'll be good to eat for months if they don't make it that long.

Crusty Boule

With lots of time on my hands, it's back to baking basics. My dutch oven is a staple in the kitchen not just for stews and soups, but soft crusty bread. It traps steam in while the bread is baking, creating that crusty outside. Carbs, Omnom nom nom...

Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
2-3 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast (active dry or highly active dry work best)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water


Optional ingredients for a variation on your loaf. Pictured is a bacon & onion loaf.
- garlic & rosemary
- caramelized onions and bacon
- olives

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and yeast.
Add the water and stir using a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a shaggy but cohesive dough.

Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough sit at room temperature for 8-24 hours. Dough will bubble up and rise.



About an hour before you want to bake the bread, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place your Dutch oven, uncovered, into the oven to heat up to temperature.
 
While your Dutch oven preheats, turn dough onto a well-floured surface and, with floured hands, form the dough into a ball. I cut a round piece of parchment and place the dough on it and cover with an upside down bowl to let rest for 45 minutes to proof.

After your dough has proofed, carefully remove Dutch oven. Score the top and place the bread dough into it. This will be easier to maneuver with the parchment paper under the dough.

Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove cover and bake for 7-15 minutes more, uncovered (just keep an eye on it as cooking times will vary).
Remove the bread and place on a cutting board. Try not to eat the entire loaf in one sitting by yourself.

Jambalaya

On the upside of this pandemic, I've spent a lot less time commuting and a lot more time cooking. The next few weeks of posts will be a fun exercise on cleaning out the freezer and cooking with what's in the pantry. Good thing for me it's already pretty stocked...

I have a package of andouille sausage from making shrimp and grits a couple weeks ago. Today it's Jambalaya.

1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 links andouille sausage, sliced
1 chicken breast, cubed
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp olive oul
2c medium grain rice
2.5c water
Salt & Cayenne pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, saute the onion and bell pepper in olive oil on a medium high heat until browned. Add salt and pepper and stir in for a minute. Add bay leaf, sausage and chicken, continuing to stir until chicken is cooked. Stir rice in for a minute. Add water be sure to scrape up browned parts from the bottom. Cover and turn heat to medium low for 12-15 minutes. Turn heat off and let stand for another 5-10 minutes.

Strawberry Shortcake

 Strawberry Shortcake

BISCUTS 
1 cup flour
1/2 stick cold, cubed butter
2 Tbsps sugar
1⁄2 cup chilled heavy cream
1 1⁄4 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg,
1 Tbsp  beaten for egg wash + sugar, for sprinkling

WHIPPED CREAM 
1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsps  powdered sugar
1⁄2 tsp vanilla

ROASTED STRAWBERRIES
2 pints fresh strawberries
1⁄4 cup  sugar
1 tsp vanilla
 
Place flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and cut in with a pastry cutter. Add cream, pulse until moist clumps form. Transfer dough to parchment and roll into a rectangle about 1 1/4 inches thick. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes. 

Cut the dough lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 4 equal strips, forming 8 square biscuits. Brush top of biscuits with egg wash; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 425 ̊ until biscuits are golden brown about 15 minutes. 

Toss strawberries with 1⁄4 cup sugar and vanilla. Roast in 350 ̊F until it begins to release juices and becomes fragrant. Cool and top.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars

I often bring these to the beach and picnics, referring to them as crack bars. Make them and you'll see why.

10oz bag of Marshmallows
4 tbs Butter
1/2c Peanut Butter
2c Trail Mix
5c Crispy Rice Cereal

Over a medium low heat, melt the butter, marshmallows and peanut better in a large pot, constantly stirring. Once combined turn off the heat and stir in Trail mix and cereal. Press into a pan to set. Cut into squares once firm.

Raspberry & Lemon Curd Petit Fours

Cake
1/3 c Almond Paste
1/3 c Granulated Sugar
3.5 oz Butter
1/2 Vanilla Bean
3 eggs
1/3 c Cake flour
--
1/4c Lemon Curd
1/4c Raspberry Jam
3/4c Marzipan
--
Stabilized whipped cream
OR2.5 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
2oz Butter

Combine butter, sugar, vanilla and almond paste well. Beat in eggs and stir in flour. Using an offset spatula, spread evenly on a parchment lined jelly roll baking sheet. Bake at 350º for about 8-12 min, until matter isn't wet. Set aside to cool.


Roll out marzipan into a thin sheet, set aside. 

Once the cake is cooled, spread a thin even layer of jam on cake and layer. Spread a thin layer of stabilized whipped cream on top and place marzipan on the very top. Trim the edges and cut into small cubes.

Melt chocolate and butter and glaze cake pieces.

Quinoa Salad

1/2 c tri-color quinoa
1 c chicken broth (or Vegetable Broth)
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Bacon Jam(Optional)  
Vegetables on hand:
broccoli, chopped and cooked
beets, diced and cooked
tomato
avocado

Cook Quinoa like rice; add quinoa and broth into a small pot, cover and bring to a boil. Let simmer until they start to split. Then let stand for at least 10-15 minutes. Once cooled, stir in bacon jam and  chopped vegetables.

Bacon Rice Krispies

What do you bring to a Bacon potluck party? Find inspiration on Pinterest http://pin.it/NFXAwkE Then be a fat kid and bring several things instead of just one.

1 10oz bag marshmallows

4 strips of Bacon, chopped and fried

3 tbs Butter

6 c rice krispies cereal

Optional: Tempered chocolate for topping

Fry Bacon pieces in a large pot and set aside. Leave the grease in the pot and melt butter on a medium heat. Add Marshmallows until melted, stirring constantly. When fully melted, turn off heat add bacon bits and rice krispies cereal. Fold in until cereal is evenly coated. Place in a parchment lined brownie pan and press down. Melt chocolate wafers and drizzle on top. Let cool 15 minutes to set and cut into squares.

Bacon Jam

Bacon, it's my JAM!!!! And a really good addition to everything...Cheese platters, mac and cheese, quinoa salad, grilled cheese sandwiches, literally everything!

1 1/2 pounds sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces 

2 medium yellow onions, diced small 
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 
1/2 cup cider vinegar 
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar 
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tbs freeze dried coffee 
3/4 cup rum

Fry the bacon until browned set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan. Add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, coffee and rum. Bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine. 

Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.

Shaved Fennel Salad

Now that the holidays are long over and summer is coming, it's time to get out of the spandex and fit into my shorts again. I've been on a kick to get more veggies into my routine and curb the sweet tooth. Super easy and delicious salads are my go to.

Shaved Fennel 
Hearts of Palm
Avocado
Pine Nuts
Goat Cheese
Dressing(Cider Vinegar, olive oil, pressed garlic, honey, salt & pepper to taste)

Shred the fennel in a mandolin and toss with dressing. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Heap the Fennel slaw on a plate and add dress with all other ingredients.

Three Bean Turkey Chili

2 lbs Ground Turkey
1 Medium Onion, diced
1 8oz Can Tomato Sauce
1 28oz Can Diced Tomatoes
1 16oz Can Kidney Beans
1 15oz Can Black Beans
1 16oz Can Pinto Beans
1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
2 Garlic cloves, diced
3 Tbs Chili Powder
1 Tbs Chicken Powder

Pick your own chili powder blend according to how spicy you like it. Toss all the ingredients into a crock pot in the morning and eat at night! If using a conventional pot, use a dutch oven to cook the meat with a little bit of vegetable oil. Place all remaining ingredients in the pot and let cook at a low boil for 1-2 hours, until the meat is tender.  

Avocado & Beet Salad

Not surprising that my dad also loves to eat (it must be genetic). For his Birthday this year, he picked a new restaurant that opened in Hawaii, Senia. He starts out with 'these guys came from Per Se in New York' and my first thought is, how much is this going to cost. But we get there and it's not the upscale French Laundry, Per Se atmosphere. It's much more quaint and the food was pretty good too. Their menu rotates, but one of my favorites was the BBQ Beet Salad. Here's my version of it.

Beet Root

Olive Oil

Cider Vinegar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Arugula

Puffed Brown rice

Avocado

Roast the Beets until tender thru, peel and cube. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar, toss and set aside. Deep fry the brown rice blend (I used a brown rice medley from Trader Joe's) in grapeseed oil until they puff, strain immediately and set aside. 

Mash the avocado with salt and pepper then spread evenly on the bottom of the plate. Sprinkle the puffed rice, arugula and beet cubes. Or Cube the Avocado and toss together with the other ingredients.

Apple Pie Empanadas

2 Large Granny Smith Apples, diced

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

dash of Nutmeg

3 tbs Sugar

1 tbs Lemon juice

1 tsp Corn Starch

empanada or pie crust wrappers

On a medium high heat, Sauté all of the filling ingredients until the apples are cooked and the water has cooked down. About 10-15 minutes. Set aside and let cool. 

Spoon filling into wrapper and seal the edges by pressing down with a fork. Brush with an egg wash and bake at 400˚ for 12-14 minutes, until golden.

English Muffins

Who knew they'd be SO easy and delicious to make?!!!

1 tsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
½ cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1½ cups All Purpose flour, divided 
1½ cups Whole Wheat flour, divided
¾ tsp salt
¼ cup cornmeal
as needed oil for the griddle

Heat milk until warm. Combine with sugar and yeast to activate. Add melted butter and salt. Knead in with Flour. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 30 min. Punch down dough. Sprinkle corn meal on a board and shape muffins. Brush oil on Griddle and cook on a medium heat.

Lemon Curd

Lately, a dolop of Lemon Curd has been my favorite topping on Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with a ginger crust.

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into bits

Whisk together juice, zest, sugar, and eggs in a double boiler. Stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubble appears on surface.

Transfer lemon curd to mason jars and chill.