Panko Crusted Tempura Shrimp

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Despite growing up in a half-Japanese family and on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, seafood was nowhere on my list of favorite foods as a kid. Or even on the list of foods I would eat. I imagine that if my mom had enjoyed seafood, I would’ve had to eat it more often.

One of my mom’s brothers, my Uncle Ronnie, was a fisherman among numerous other things. He lived with us on the weekends, flying between Oahu and Kauai each week. He’d often go fishing overnight, or in the early morning/early evening for hours at a time. I remember how he’d bring home coolers full of fish that he’d clean and my mom would prepare for dinner. I remember him paying me money to eat the fish – which, in retrospect, is a pretty good means of making an allowance. I’d gladly eat fish now, being paid rather than having to pay for the fish! My method at first was to douse the fish in a soy sauce-ginger mixture and simply swallow pieces of it whole. Uncle Ronnie eventually figured me out and to make my 50 cents per piece of fish meant I also had to visibly chew each piece. Dang.

Sometimes Uncle Ronnie would fly boxes of fresh shrimp caught in the Colorado fishing charter, back from Oahu with him. I remember my mom frying it up similarly to the following recipe. Often she’d make a tempura batter – either from a store bought mix, or from scratch (I think) and make tempura vegetables alongside the fried shrimp. This was one type of seafood I didn’t need to be paid to eat. Traditionally, tempura batter is made in little amounts at a time, working the batter as little and as quick as possible. The flour mixture is stirred a mere 2 or 3 times with chopsticks, nevermind the clumping. Little mixing means that the gluten within the wheat isn’t activated, leaving the batter light, rather than a sticky thick mess. The lightness and cold temperature of the batter gives the shrimp a very nice, light, crispiness when you fry it up.

I’ve made this shrimp for my mother-in-law a couple times now and I think the most flattering comment from this Southern-born and raised woman was: “That was delicious! I think your shrimp was even better than the fried shrimp I’ve had in Southern Louisiana!” For a lady who loves some Southern cooking, that mine would even be in a category of comparing probably means you should try this recipe. Tee-hee!

While traditional tempura is served with a Japanese dashi-based dipping sauce, I enjoy this shrimp with a homemae cocktail sauce that carries some Japanese flavor as well. The recipe follows the shrimp recipe.

 

Panko Crusted Tempura Shrimp

Serves 6-8 adults as a main dish, easily

Ingredients:

2 lbs. fresh shrimp, peeled and butterflied with the tails still intact
1- 10.5 oz container of Panko breadcrumbs

oil for frying

For the tempura batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1½ cups ice cold water
Directions:

If you’re waiting to serve the shrimp until all of them are cooked, preheat your oven to 200º F. Place a cooling rack in the oven to preheat.

Fill a large frying pan with oil about 2-3 inches deep, turning the heat up to medium high.

While the oil is heating, prepare the tempura batter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the eggs, then the ice cold water very quickly, just until the ingredients are combined. It’s okay if the batter is a bit clumpy. Fill a larger bowl with ice, then place the bowl containing your batter directly on the ice. You want your tempura batter as cold as possible before frying.

Pour the Panko crumbs in a shallow dish. When the oil is hot enough (drop a few panko crumbs into the oil – they should bubble and immediately float to the top, without burning), dip the shrimp in the cold tempura batter, then lightly coat in panko crumbs. Lower into the oil, frying until golden brown on both sides.

Drain on paper towels for a minute or two, before place fried shrimp on the cooling rack in the oven. Continue doing this until all the shrimp are cooked, placing all the shrimp in your preheated oven until ready to serve.
Asian-Influenced Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup
¼ cup chili sauce (I like Sriracha)
1 tbsp. mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
2 tsp. fresh ground ginger
2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1½ tsp. stone-ground mustard
1½ tsp. Worchestire sauce
1 tsp. wasabi paste
½ tsp. lemon zest
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, whisking together until the sauce comes to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve while still warm with your fried shrimp.

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Sauces, Seafood, Sides | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

If I had to pick my absolute favorite dessert, it would have to be cheesecake. Cheesecake that is not for the faint of heart, or those on a steadfast diet, or those who prefer completely light sweets. Rich and filling cheesecake. Turns out my mother-in-law is a steadfast cheesecake lover, too. I made the following dessert for Mother’s Day. It was incredible.

I’ve attempted to make cheesecakes a number of times before, but always ended up with cracked tops, or impatiently ate them without allowing the cake to set overnight. I decided to scour the internet for tips on baking cheesecakes. Turns out there are a vast number of tips and to set out to follow every single one is crazy-making. SO. I picked the ones that made the most sense to me: aim for even temperatures while baking (thus the water bath), make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature so they combine quicker with less air, be patient and let the cheesecake refrigerate overnight.

This cheesecake is simple; the flavor is vanilla-rich, using whole vanilla beans and vanilla extract. I loved how the whole vanilla beans left their little black speckles scattered in and through the white cheesecake landscape. It is very rich though, so be open to sharing with folks you love, even if you’re tempted to eat the whole 2+ pound, 9-inch cake yourself!

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Recipe lightly adapted from Laura at One Cake Two Cake blog

makes one 9” cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 crackers)
1 cup walnuts
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg

For the filling:
4- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 vanilla beans, scraped
the juice from one meyer lemon
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
2 cups sour cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Prepare the crust: Combine the graham crackers, walnuts, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a large chopping blade. Pulse until all the crumbs and nuts are more or less even in size. Pulse the ingredients while drizzling in the melted butter. Evenly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. I use my hands initially, then a glass cup to pack the crust even more firmly and evenly. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. (When I removed the crust from the oven, it had puffed slightly. I took the same glass cup and firmly pressed the crust again before allowing it to cool completely.)

Prepare the filling: Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at complete room temperature before preparing the filling for best results. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese until smooth and creamy, at about medium-low speed. Once the cream cheese is smooth, turn off the mixer and add in the eggs, sugar, vanilla beans, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix over medium-low speed until all the ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to over-mix, incorporating more air than necessary or desired in the filling mixture! Pour the filling into your cooled crust, evenly and smooth. Gently, but firmly, knock the pan on your countertop to get rid of any trapped air bubbles.

Wrap the outside bottom and sides of your springform pan in foil, to prevent leaking. Once wrapped, place the springform pan in a large baking dish. Fill the baking dish with water, halfway up the sides of the springform pan. (This allows the internal temperature of the cheesecake to stay even while baking, helping to prevent cracking.) Bake until the center of the cheesecake just slightly jiggles when the pan is lightly shaken (50-70 minutes). If the cheesecake looks too runny, continue baking for another few minutes. Don’t let it get overdone, though!

While the cheesecake is baking, prepare the topping by whisking together the sour cream, granulated sugar, and remaining vanilla bean, until completely combined.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven while the center is still slightly wiggly. Gently pour the sour cream topping over the cheesecake, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Return the cheesecake to the oven for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, crack the oven door open slightly, and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and place the cheesecake, still in the pan, on a wire rack to cool for at least two hours before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating overnight (at least 10 hours).

Cut and serve. Top with fresh strawberries if you want. Or any fresh berries. Delicious!

Posted in Baking, Dessert, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Roasted Asparagus and Broccoli Soup

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

I don’t have a lot of experience dealing with death. At least not when it comes to people. I have experienced a multitude of pet deaths… Growing up, we raised guinea pigs. 50 or so guinea pigs all at once. We had dogs, cats, mice, birds, fish, a rabbit, wild chickens. I had a knack for bringing home lost and found animals. My mom would occasionally set out those nasty glue traps to catch rats and I would desperately try to pry them off without hurting them, or try to help the geckos that got stuck escape before death got them first. I learned to handle pet deaths well; not without feeling, but with recognition that it’s a natural part of life. I’d get sad, I’d cry, I’d bury my furry, feathered, and scaled friends. I’d say goodbye.

I’ve been fortunate in the number of human-related deaths I’ve had to deal with… I’ve lost an uncle who was much like another father figure, and my grandfather whose memory is tied with many laughs and love. Of course there have been other losses, but none that felt as impacting to my heart. A couple weekends ago, we lost our neighbor, Dave, to cancer. I did not know him well – at all, really – which is unfortunate, because he seemed like a humble, easygoing, kind man. He’d let Silas come hang out with his chickens, or would occasionally entertain conversations over the fence that separates our backyards. Sometimes I feel as though I don’t know how exactly to offer comfort these days other than through food and feeding people.

Craig and I had both been wanting to offer Dave’s partner some sort of meal. I didn’t know what exactly to give, as the weather’s been warm, but something comforting seemed necessary. Soup is rarely something I crave, but seems to offer a filling alternative that’s healthy even if you aren’t very hungry. With Spring in full swing, sweet asparagus, broccoli and leeks seem easy to come by. I decided to roast the asparagus, caramelize the leeks and onions, and add in a bit of cream for a creamy spring soup. We also brought over a loaf of homemade sourdough bread to go with the soup, which paired perfectly.

This is a nice, filling but not overwhelmingly heavy soup. Perfect for spring. And the ingredients are fresh this time of year; and perfectly green. :)

 

Roasted Asparagus and Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

1½ pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed off
2-3 cups broccoli (about 1 lb.) cut into florets
4 yukon gold potatoes (about 1½ – 2 lbs.), cubed
1 leek, just the white and light green parts
1 white onion
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp. fresh chopped chives
zest from one meyer lemon (plus more for serving, if you wish)
5 tbsp. walnut oil (or whatever you have/prefer)
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 cups No-Chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Toss the asparagus in 2 tablespoons of your oil, as well as a semi-generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until crisp and fragrant. Stir the asparagus around about halfway through the roasting.

Meanwhile, slice the onion in half, then each half into thin slices. Slice the leek the same way: in half, then in thin half-moons. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan, over low heat until the butter is melted. Add in the onion and leeks, stirring to coat in the oil-butter mixture. Continue cooking over low heat, occasionally stirring until the onions and leeks have both fully caramelized (Warning! This can take a nearly excruciating long time, but is SO worth the resulting flavor! My onions and leeks took nearly 45 minutes to caramelize…)

Boil the potatoes and garlic in your six cups of broth. I leave the skins on for yukon gold or red potatoes, because they’re so thin to begin with. Once the potatoes are tender (12 minutes or so) add the broccoli to the pot. If the liquid doesn’t cover the broccoli completely, either add more broth to do so, or water. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, until the tougher parts of the broccoli (mainly the stem pieces) are tender.

Combine the caramelized onions and leeks, asparagus, chives, potatoes, and broccoli in a food processor fitted with the large blade, or in a high power blender. Puree until smooth, adding broth slowly to create a smooth soup. Work in batches if you need to.

Return the pureed ingredients to a large pot on the stove. Bring the heat back up, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and lemon zest. Taste, then add salt and pepper to your liking.

Serve drizzled with a little walnut oil, lemon zest, and fresh chopped chives along with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Gluten-Free, Life, Lunch, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cheddar Chive Polenta Waffles

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

A couple years ago, we got a waffle iron and I quickly became enamored with making various types of waffles: brown butter, buttermilk, whole wheat, plain, cinnamon apple, blueberry, overnight yeasted waffles. Then one day Silas came home and said in the most awful, hilarious, British accent, “Julie, I would like some chicken and waffles, please!”

Chicken and waffles? I’d heard of it, read about it, seen it advertised in the South or in the Bay Area of California, but never tried it. The combination sounded sketchy to me. But then as I read various recipes, it seemed the waffle was always served alongside the fried chicken – waffle with butter and syrup, chicken simply fried. This made sense in my head: the salty-sweet combination I so often crave – like, french fries and vanilla milkshakes, or fried eggs with syrup laden pancakes, or pretzels with peanut (or cookie) butter.

But I decided to opt out of the salty-sweet combo and instead test a savory waffle the “chicken” could hang out on, bathed in creamy gravy. The first time I did this I made a cornmeal waffle, which was kind of like cornbread cooked on the waffle iron. It was delicious. I made fried chicken “tofu” to go with the cornmeal waffles. Also delicious.

Recently while browsing through my blogroll, I saw a recipe for gluten-free lunch waffles. I was intrigued, especially after seeing that one of the main ingredients was a pot of cooked polenta. I love creamy, cheesy polenta. I didn’t go the gluten-free route, mainly in order to use just what I had on hand – all purpose flour. These waffles crisped up amazingly – probably because of all the cheese in the batter. I made some chicken-fried tempeh and a creamy “chicken” gravy. The combination was heaven. These waffles were great on their own and can easily be served in whatever way sounds good to you!


Cheddar Chive Polenta Waffles

Recipe largely adapted from Joy the Baker 


Ingredients:

1 cup water
½ cup polenta
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. dried thyme or ¼ tsp. fresh thyme, minced
¼ tsp. dried sage
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 large egg
¾ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 tbsp. chopped chives

Directions:

Bring the 1 cup of water to a boil in a small pot. Steadily pour the polenta into the boiling water, stirring as your pour (to prevent clumping). Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue stirring, cooking the polenta for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the stick of butter until completely combined. Stir in the milk until you’re left with a creamy pot of goodness. Set the polenta aside to cool.

While the polenta is cooling, combine the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, garlic, thyme, sage and cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Whisk. Add the polenta mixture to the flour mixture, mixing well. Stir in the egg until well combined. Fold in the cheese and chives.

Heat your waffle iron according to the waffle maker’s instructions. Lightly oil and spoon some of your thick polenta batter onto the waffle iron and cook according to the waffle maker’s instructions. Cook until crisp and golden brown.

Serve however you desire… plain, topped with chicken and gravy, as a vehicle for a fried egg sandwich… the options are limited only to our imagination and taste buds.

Posted in Bread, Dinner, Kids, Lunch, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Basil Pesto and Caramelized Onion Tofu Patties

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Sometimes when things like tofu or tempeh go on sale, I get a little impulsive and buy way too much of both, not thinking it’s too much of course… Rather, of course I’ll use six blocks of tofu and ten packages of tempeh before their expiration dates… in two weeks. And then two weeks pass and I begin scrambling to get everything used up. Tempeh goes into the freezer, I make oven baked tofu nuggets, or throw both into enchiladas, etc.

Recently I had tofu that needed to be used up. A while back we bought some tofu “sausage” patties that were pesto flavored, and much to my surprise, tasteier than I expected them to be. The only disappointment was the cost for 4 patties, only about 1½ inches in size. The following recipe was inspired by these sausages, but really aren’t the same in texture or taste, but still delicious. One problem I did find was that when I tried to make them larger, they fell apart more readily when cooking. So I’d suggest keeping them no larger than 3 inches.

 

Basil Pesto and Caramelized Onion Tofu Patties

Yields approx. 16 – 3″ patties

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil (plus more for cooking)
½  a medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
1- 14 oz. pkg extra firm tofu (the firmer, the better)
1 large carrot, grated fine
3 tbsp. basil pesto
1 tbsp. fresh basil, minced, or 1 tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp. fresh oregano, minced, or ½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 egg

 

Directions:

Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a small pan over low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions, tossing to coat evenly. Continue cooking over low heat, occasionally stirring until the onions are completely caramelized. This may easily take 30-45 minutes. Once the onions have turned a nice shade of caramel brown, add in the red bell pepper and garlic. Cook (over medium-low) until the red bell pepper softens. Chop until the caramelized onions are diced small.

Drain the water from the tofu then crumble it up in a large bowl. Mix in the caramelized onion mixture, the grated carrot, basil pesto, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and egg until the mixture is well combined.

Heat about 2-3 tablespoons over oil over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, use your hands to pat about ¼ cup of tofu mixture into a patty, about 3 inches wide, ½ an inch thick.

Fry up the patties, allowing the first side to brown completely before flipping it (4-5 minutes). Flip, cooking until the other side is brown, too.

Serve with your favorite sides, or on a salad, or on a sandwich… Also, these taste good cold!

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Pancakes

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

As I’ve said before, pancakes are all the rage in our house. I get tired of plain old pancakes. Well, not old, but plain. Or buttermilk. Or blueberry. Or banana. Or banana-nut. Or chocolate chip. My mom used to make fritters of various sorts when I was a kid: banana fritters, corn fritters, Okinowan sweet potato fritters, apple fritters. This is sort of like an apple fritter, crossed with a pancake, tasting like a muffin or semi-sweet doughnut. Plus there’s the visual aspect of the apple ring, surrounded by its toasty pancake. It’s borderline dessert, but for breakfast (or brunch, if that’s what you’re after… or dinner, if you’re like me and prefer breakfast food in the P.M.).

For a while, Silas was gung-ho on avoiding cooked fruits. Especially in oatmeal or pancakes, so I didn’t know how well these would actually go over with him. But he said, “THANK YOU!! These are the best pancakes EVER!!” and then proceeded to eat a good 8 or 10 of them before his Little League game. If that’s an indication of whether you should try these or not, cool. If it’s an indication of how much he’s going to eat when he’s not just nearly seven, but – gasp – perhaps a teenager, we’re in trouble. 

 

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Pancakes

Ingredients:
1½ cups unbleached flour
3 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup milk
2 eggs
2 small(ish) apples, cored, peeled and sliced THIN (1/8 to 1/16 inches thick)
oil

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, ground ginger and ground cinnamon until well combined.

Whisk together the melted butter, vanilla, , milk and eggs until completely combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, mixing until just combined.

If you’re serving these once ALL the pancakes have been cooked, preheat the oven to 200ºF. Place a pan or baking dish with a lid into the oven to preheat as well.

 

Lightly grease a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once thoroughly heated (drop a drip or two of batter on the hot surface – it should immediately puff up and begin to bubble, but not blacken and burn), spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto the hot grill. As you’d adding the batter, gently press one apple ring into the center of each pancake. When the batter begins to bubble all over, it’s time to flip the pancake. Flip, cooking until the second side is lightly browned and the pancake is cooked all the way through.

Keep the pancakes in your warm oven until ready to serve, then serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

Yields approximately one and a half dozen medium-sized pancakes.

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Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Bean Icing

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Most of my memories surrounding things cooked in the house I grew up in have to do with my mom. My dad’s meals often seemed thrown together in a chaotic combination process that sometimes worked, but more often instilled fear. While I had my hesitancies at first, one thing my dad could whip together close to perfection was his homemade cinnamon rolls (or sticky buns, as he’d prefer to call them). He’d start the dough in my mom’s bread machine, but everything else was put together by hand. He’d melt butter, sugar, and nuts in the bottom of his pan, then lay rolls filled with raisins, nuts, cinnamon, sugar, and butter down in that buttery goodness. They were always delicious.

While I appreciate the caramelization that happens with melted butter and sugar in the bottom of the pan, I prefer a slightly less sticky cinnamon roll. I’ve made homemade cinnamon rolls many, many times, but never exactly like these. I’ve had my sourdough starter begging for more recipes including it. Sourdough cinnamon rolls? Oh, why not.

These cinnamon rolls take a little time, although the majority of that seems to be waiting. Waiting for the sponge to ready itself. Waiting for the dough to rise. Waiting (very, very, patiently) for the cinnamon rolls to bake. But it’s worth it. I prefer using Ceylon cinnamon in my cooking. It’s very soft, delicate, almost like very fine paper. It breaks apart easily between your fingers. Conventional cinnamon always seems much tougher, less fragrant, and almost more bitter in taste than Ceylon. Use what you have available, though, or what you prefer in taste.

I enjoy using whole vanilla beans when possible and like the visual aspect of those tiny black specks against the white icing for these rolls. While 90% of the time I actually prefer no icing on my cinnamon rolls, this wasn’t overpowering at all, nor overly sweet with the sourdough rolls. You can also simply use vanilla extract if you don’t want to use whole vanilla beans–simply increase the amount to one full teaspoon!

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Bean Icing

Yields 10-12 cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:

For the sponge:
1 cup sourdough starter
¾ cup milk (warmed to about 110ºF)
3 tsp. good quality maple syrup
1 tsp. conventional yeast
1 cup unbleached flour

For the dough:
1 sponge recipe
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2½ cups unbleached flour

For the filling:
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
a couple small pinches of ground cloves
*optional: ½ cup raisins and/or ½ cup chopped pecans

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
the seeds from 1 scraped vanilla bean
1 tbsp. milk
½ tsp. good quality vanilla extract

Directions:

Prepare the sponge: Stir all the sponge ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (preferably the bowl to your stand mixer). Cover and set aside in a warm area for one hour.

Prepare the dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer (which hopefully contains your sponge!), add the unsalted butter, beaten egg, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Use the paddle attachment and mix together until well combined (about 30 seconds). Add the flour in, about ½ a cup at a time. After a soft dough begins to form, switch from the paddle to dough hook attachment. Continue kneading the dough for about 5 minutes. If it gets too sticky, add a little more flour in. Lightly oil your bowl, turning the dough to coat it once. Lightly cover and set aside to rise until doubled in size (1-1½  hours).

Prepare the cinnamon rolls: Once the dough has doubled its size, you’re ready to make your form your cinnamon rolls. Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 12 x 18 inches in size.

Spread the melted butter over your dough. It may seem like you have too much butter to work with, but dump it all on your dough anyway. Sprinkle the granulated and brown sugars over the butter, evenly, then sprinkle on the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and if using- the raisins and nuts.

Starting at one corner of the dough edge closest to you, roll up the dough, tightening it as you move your hands. I like to work semi-slowly, forming tight coils of buttery-sugary goodness inside the dough. You’ll be happy you did this once the rolls are cut!

Use an unserrated knife to cut rolls 1½ – 2 inches thick. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Place the cinnamon rolls into the buttered pan, spacing them about one inch apart. At this point, the rolls can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days. Simply bring them back to room temperature before baking.

Baking the cinnamon rolls: Baking the cinnamon rolls: Preheat the oven to 350 ºF. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, turning the pan around half-way through the cooking time. A toothpick placed in the center of one of the middle rolls should come up clean when the cinnamon rolls are finished. Be careful not to let the cinnamon rolls get too dark on the top.

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare the icing. Whisk together the vanilla bean and powdered sugar until well blended. Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. If you like your icing thicker, add more sugar. Thinner, add more milk.

Drizzle the icing onto the warm cinnamon rolls and serve. Enjoy!

Posted in Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Roasted Carrot, Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Sometimes I like to cook meals based on color. Maybe because I’m a weirdo. Maybe it’s because if I’m taking the time to cook something made to taste good, I’d like for it to look appetizing as well–and for me, color has a lot to do with that. It’s fun to treat food like art.

The plague hit our house earlier this week. Actually, it mainly hit my husband, who suffered for four days straight of chills and an on again-off again fever. So, meals have been a little thrown off for the last week. Yesterday I realized that we could all probably use a big ‘ole pot of soup that was filling, but also healthy. Especially Craig. This soup doesn’t skimp on color. The vast amounts of beta-carotene provided from both the carrots and sweet potatoes leave this soup a vibrant orange.

Carrots are high in vitamin A and provide many antioxidants that help fight inflammation. Apples are high in fiber and vitamin C. Like carrots, sweet potatoes (yams, really) are high in vitamin A and rich in antioxidants. The three sounded like a plausible combination.

One of my favorite books to use for thinking up recipes is The Flavor Bible. It’s a great tool for any cook, really. In it are nearly 400 pages of nearly any ingredient you can think of. Following the particular ingredient is a long list of other ingredients that pair well in flavor, whether they be spices, fruits, savory items, nuts, oils, etc. It’s an indispensable tool. I did a little research to see what flavors complimented all three of my planned ingredients and was excited to find ginger, tarragon, thyme, cumin, sweet curry, and lemon seemed to work well with carrots, sweet potatoes, and apples. Bingo.

This soup is very filling. It can also get a bit thick, which is actually how I prefer my own soups. If you want it thinner, simply add more broth. Or even water if you wish. Serve with a nice green salad and some fresh bread if you’d like.

 

 

Roasted Carrot, Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

Ingredients:

1¼ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded and cut in 1” cubes
1½ pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and cut into 1” pieces
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
¼ cup sunflower oil (or whatever high-heat oil you have)
7 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. oil
1 large yellow onion, cut in half, then ¼-inch thick strips
1- 3 inch piece of fresh white or yellow ginger, peeled and minced
1½ tbsp. dried tarragon
1½ tbsp. dried thyme
1½ tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sweet curry powder
the zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon
6½ cups No-Chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt and fresh ground pepper, to your liking

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Toss the first four ingredients together, evenly coating the apples, potatoes, and carrots in oil. Season with a generous (but reasonable) amount of salt and pepper. Spread evenly on one or two baking sheets. Roast for 30 minutes, or until all of the vegetables and fruit are cooked all the way through, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic cloves to the roasting vegetables after they’ve been in the oven for about 15 minutes (allowing the garlic to roast for the last 15 minutes).

While the apples, potatoes, and carrots are roasting, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat in a large stock pot. Add the onion, reducing the heat to low, stirring to coat the onion in oil. Slow cook the onions until they just begin to caramelize, turning a deep yellow/light brown color. This will take nearly the entire the time you’re roasting the other vegetables and apples, so don’t get worried if it feels like the onions are “taking too long.” Add the ginger, tarragon, thyme, cumin, and sweet curry powder to the pot, stirring to coat everything evenly. Add the No Chicken or vegetable broth to your pot, stirring well.

Once the broth is heated all the way through, work in batches to blend the soup either in a food processor or high-speed blender. Add enough of the broth to create a smooth mixture. Pour into a large clean pot. Continue blending, until all the soup has been pureed. Add the lemon zest and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Gently bring the heat back up, until the soup is hot enough to serve. Serve topped with a little sour cream and fresh chopped parsley, if you’d like. Enjoy!

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Spring and Where Time Goes

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

Spring time is by far my favorite season. It hasn’t always been. I enjoy winter. Most of my life, I preferred summer. But spring time in Ashland means green. It means sporadic sunshine that can’t be planned or counted on. It means spots of cold that also can’t be planned for. Spring means seedlings and plants trying to survive through the unforeseen cold. Spring means the cold is in passing… warmth is coming.

Spring also means more time outside. While it doesn’t mean less cooking, it does account in part for my recent blog-MIA status. Here’s a little bit of what has been going on:

While this probably doesn’t look like much to you, I’m excited about it. This is a nearly 30-foot by 5½-foot area of land that will become a food garden soon and Drake’s 7 Dees : the firm that I completely depend upon to make this possible. It also contains nearly a year’s worth of compost I’ve been nurturing. I remember having gardens as a kid, but I don’t remember much about them. Stalky sunflowers, tomatoes, lettuce. Lots of flowers. In my late teens, one of my chores included watering and weeding the garden. I despised it! In my later teens and early 20’s, I had a knack for killing nearly anything I planted. Lack of care, lack of time, lack of attention… I’m sure it all came into play. Now that I’m nearing 30, gardening sounds fulfilling and fun… So I shall dive in.You can view their website to get your beautiful garden done or you can also curb appeal for your home by contacting experts as they can provide worthy service. You can also contact experts from collinsbrookelandscape.com/servicearea/landscapinggreenvillesc/ as they can help you in full filling your landscape dreams. Excitedly. Hopefully no plant babies are harmed in the process.

Spring means baseball season. This 6-year-old Yankee has been fun to watch on the field. Seems no matter what sport Silas decides he’s interested in, he’s naturally good at it.

Vincent had the lead role in his middle school’s spring musical. Again, he’s a complete natural on the stage. It was exciting to see what he’s done with this role, in a subject that he’s dove into on his own.

Neither drama or sports were much up my alley at any point in my life. Although I played community soccer for a number of years, I always felt like I didn’t fit in with the cool girls. And my skills? They were completely lacking in skill. As far as being on stage, I’d rather clean toilets and tackle a mountain of dirty dishes. That feeling hasn’t changed since I was ten and forced to be in our fifth grade class play at school (I did play the chef, though, haha). That aside, it really has been a complete joy to see both kids dive into their own interests, in their own way.

So what else has spring brought about?

Certainly chasing these two hooligans daily. My comrades. Spring means vacuuming nearly five times a day as these two shed about 9,000 pounds of winter fur. I don’t mind, seeing as they’re at my feet any time we’re near one another. Except when I have to tell them I don’t appreciate them at my feet while going to the bathroom, of course.

Spring means weather often warm enough for exploring outside. Exploring means photographing. Everything. I love the colors of this time of year–just as much as I enjoy the colors of fall.

Spring means daisy chains and passing time in the park, getting some sun on my weary winter paste-like skin, and feeling the warmth replace winter.

I’ve got some new recipes coming. Don’t you worry. Go enjoy some spring time sun in the meantime.

Posted in Life | 2 Comments

Jalapeño Cheese Tamales

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Julie Hashimoto-McCreery

For quite some time, I was not a fan of tamales. I didn’t care for all that dough and so little filling. I would’ve much preferred some tacos or even a burrito, for that matter. Then I had a horrible food poisoning experience after eating some chicken tamales and couldn’t even think about eating one for nearly two years.

I’m really not sure when that changed, but happily, it has. I’ve learned that by making tamales at home, I can decide on my own masa to filling ratio. Also, traditional tamales often use lard in the dough, which is something I don’t cook with, so I no longer have to think about that being in my own tamales. While the most common fillings are often pork and chicken in a red or green sauce, the truth is, you can fill these little pockets of goodness with whatever sounds good to you.

While jalapeños and cheese tamales are common enough, these aren’t exactly traditional. I prefer some added flavor in my masa, which is why I add the dry spices to this dough and use broth as well as water. You can use all broth or all water for the dough, if you prefer. I like using jarred jalapeños because I’ve found that almost 99% of the time, they’re less spicy than fresh jalapeños. Fresh peppers are so unpredictable in their level of spiciness, but feel free to use them if you prefer.

I should note, my method of folding these tamales is probably more OCD than your typical tamale-making lady. But I like creating something that’s going to look appealing as well as taste good, which is why I don’t mind my personal technique; it works for me!

Jalapeño Cheese Tamales

Ingredients:

18-24 corn husks, depending on their size

*Pick through the husks, getting rid of any debris/fibers. Sort out the larger husks for making the tamales. Keep some of the smaller husks so they can be cut into strips for tying the tamales when you’re wrapping them.


for the dough:
6 cups masa
2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. granulated garlic
1 tbsp. ground coriander
3 tbsp. oil (I use sunflower oil)
1½ cups vegetable or No-Chicken broth
3½ cups hot water

for the filling:
1- 12 oz. jar sliced jalapeños, roughly chopped
16 oz. cheese, diced into cubes (I used sharp cheddar, monterey jack and mozzarella)


Directions:

Soak the corn husks in hot water (completely submerged) for 15-20 minutes, to soften them up. Soaking will make them a little more pliable. Cut some of the smaller husks into long, semi-thin strips (cut 18-24 of them).

In a large bowl, combine the masa, cumin, salt, garlic, and coriander. Mix to combine well. Add the oil and broth. Use your hands to begin creating a soft dough. Add the hot water ½ a cup at a time. Your dough shouldn’t be overly sticky. If it gets too wet, add a little more masa. If it’s too dry, add a little more hot water. Unlike bread dough, masa is not at all temperamental. You can’t mess it up.

Adding the dough and filling for assembly: Lay one of the larger husks on a flat surface. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of dough onto the husk, depending on its size. Use your fingers to spread the dough evenly (about ¼-inch thick). Leave a space about 2 – 3 inches from the narrow end of the husk, about 1½ – 2 inches from the top, and anywhere from ½ – 2 inches from each side, depending on the overall husk size. Place about 1 teaspoon of chopped jalapeños and a generous amount of cheese cubes in the center of your dough.

Folding and tying the tamales: Fold up the bottom of the corn husk, enveloping the filling. Gently peel back just the husk, leaving the dough over the filling mixture. Next, fold in one of the long sides over the filling, then gently peel the husk back like you did with the bottom. Repeat on the other side. You should have a nice, rectangular masa pocket that completely envelopes the filling. Fold the bottom of the husk up again, then fold over the top of the husk. Fold either of the long edges of husk towards the middle of the tamale, then do the same with the opposite long-side, overlapping at the middle. (If the husk is too long, simply wrap it around the back of the tamale. Use one of the strips you cut earlier to tie the husk in place, by tying it in the middle of the tamale. Repeat until you run out of husks and filling.

Steaming the tamales: Bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil in a steamer pot, or a large pot fitted with a colander/steaming basket. I used a 2-layer bamboo steamer as well as a colander for my tamales. Fill the colander or basket with one layer of tamales, trying not to overlap them too much. The tamales need to sit above the water, so they’re cooked by the steam only. Cover the pot and steam them for 30 – 40 minutes, making sure to periodically check that there’s still water in your pot.

When done, the masa should no longer be sticky. You’ll notice the difference in its consistency. Serve the tamales warm, topped with sour cream, or this green sauce, or your preferred salsa, if you’d like.

* Tamales can easily be reheated in the microwave. Leave the husks on while you heat them. Once the tamales have been steamed, they can also be cooled completely and then frozen. To reheat after freezing, simply steam for 15 – 20 minutes.

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Life, Lunch, Sides, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments