Strawberry Muffins (with Basil)

Pictures by Ms zing bowl

Post and recipe by: P.Ladle

Inspired by: Strawberries, basil, Nathan, Mud Coffee and Ms. Julie Brunch. 

Strawberry Muffins with Basil. Yup, Basil! 

It's good. So simple, yet so delicious! It's definitely going to be a new favorite around here. 

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup chopped strawberries

(optional)

3 leaves of basil chopped

1tsp lemon zest

Directions: 

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• Oil an 8 cup muffin tin or use paper liners. 
• In small bowl, combine oil, milk and egg. 
• Beat lightly. 
• In a large bowl, mix flour , salt, baking powder and sugar.  
• Toss in chopped strawberries and stir to coat with flour. 
• Add chopped basil and the lemon zest.
• Pour in milk and stir together.
• Fill muffin cups. 
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes or until the tops bounce back from the touch. 
• Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans. 

P Ladle's "Dakdoritang": Korean Spicy Chicken Stew

This is a pretty popular dish in our family. My mom used to make this for us when we were younger, and when I got married, I called her up one day and asked her for the recipe, but of course, she didn't really have a set recipe. Everything was a little bit of this, and that and stir and fry this and that, so I did just that. I experimented a lot over the last 7 years and I guess you can say this recipe is my own rendition of the "dakdoritang." It's spicy, sweet, and very very savory. Enjoy~

Ingredients:
 Chicken, a pack of this size.
 2 Potatoes
 1 Small piece of ginger
 4 cloves of garlic
 3 Scallions
 2 Carrots
 2 Onions

For the sauce: 

3 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, 

2 Tbsp Sesame oil, 

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, 

2-3 Tbsp Korean Pepper Flakes, 

2 tsp Black pepper, 

2 tsp Salt, 

2 Tbsp Cooking Wine(mirin)

1/2 cup of water 

1.First, let's make the sauce:

Get all these ingredients into a bowl.

 Mix it together and set aside the sauce.

2. Let's prep the Chicken and the vegetables now.

Chop the potatoes, carrots and onions, and mince the ginger.

Mince the garlic. Ever use one of these? It's really convenient to use.

Chop the scallions.

3. Let's start cooking!

Heat the pot in medium heat, pour some cooking oil, then pour in the chicken, (I've already trimmed any excess fat and skin off and salted and peppered the chicken slightly. 

Don't use too much salt, just about a tsp.)

start browning the outside of the chicken. 

Throw in the minced ginger. 

(Putting ginger in now helps take away any stinky chicken smell out)

Close the pot and let it cook for about 5 minutes in medium heat.

Pour in the vegetables into the pot.

Stir and cook.

Close the pot and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Open the pot and pour the sauce in and stir and coat the chicken and vegetable well.

Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked.

Open up and pour the water in.

Cook and stir again.

Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes in low-medium heat, stirring occasionally. 

Watch the potatoes and carrots from sticking to the bottom. 

Stewing, Stewing, the flavors all Soaking... 

 Stewing, Stewing, the flavors all Soaking... 

( my little stewing song)

tick tock, tick tock....

 Add in the last ingredient, our scallions.

Stir in together, and turn the heat off. 

You are done!

Scoop yourself a bowl of rice and some kimchee. 

And voila~ 

Your meal is served!

All gone!

Hope you try it. 

Enjoy!

Strawberry Almond Tart

Recipe and Pictures by "Ms. Pie"

Ingredients are:

Crust:

• 36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets) Crust
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 teaspoons water
• Cooking spray

Filling:

• 2/3 cup light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

• 6 cups small fresh strawberries, divided
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

Crust:

2.To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly.

3.Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and water; pulse just until moist.

4.Place mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:

5.To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.

Topping:

6.To prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until pureed.

7.Combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat,

stirring with a whisk.

8.Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute.

Remove glaze from heat, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

9.Combine 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat. Arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling. Spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use).

Sprinkle nuts around edge. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Voila!

Note: You can use either an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan or a 9-inch round tart pan. The recipe also works with a 9-inch springform pan and a 10-inch pie plate.

Stuffed Mushrooms- pics and post by P Ladle

On Saturday, I made stuffed mushrooms again using a recipe that a friend of mine shared with me when I was craving them one day on facebook. This is my second time making them, because I loved them so much last time. I went to the store to buy strawberries for my beach picnic with Nathan and Stephanie and saw that mushrooms were on sale for $1.99 a pack. So, I grabbed two packs, and as soon as I got home from the beach, I hurried into the kitchen and made these delightful, delicious treats! Give it a try. It's really simple.

Ingredients:

2 Packs of white button mushrooms

2 tbsp of olive oil or butter

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 small or 1 medium sized onions

pinch of salt

cooking wine or white wine

Directions:

1. Wash well, and pull off the bottoms. Don't discard the bottoms, but set aside to chop.

2. Chop 2 small onions, mushroom bottoms, and 2 cloves of garlic

3. add olive oil, a pinch of salt and sautee them in a non-stick pan

until mostly cooked.

4. In a bowl pour the cooked onions, garlic and mushroom bottoms. Add the bread crumbs with the cooking oil or white wine. Mix well, and begin stuffing the mushroom tops with mixture.

5. Cover them with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place them on a pan into the oven, 350 degrees. Cook 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese turns golden brown.

6. Let cool and pop 'em in your mouth!

Enjoy!

Oh How We Love Our Sunday Dinners

On the menu: Pork Potato Stew

Recipe by "Chef Koreander" and Sous Chef "A little Pinch"

Chef "Koreander" prepping the food here


Sous Chef "A little pinch" helping at his side


Mmmmmmm... oh so delicious. Chef Koreander has done it again.


So simple, yet so powerful, with a little pinch of this, and a little pinch of that.


Good for Serving 20 people or more (Good to try for Saturday Youth Meals! Or, just double it? Rumor has it that 180 Youth know how to eat!) Or, cut the amount in half and it'll be great for small group meals or any size gathering.

Here are the Ingredients:

Olive Oil
2 Garlic whole
3 Red Onions
5 Peeled Tomatoes
9 Peeled Potatoes (cut up in cubes)
Pork cut up into cubes
3+ teaspoonful of Cumin powder(Depends on preference and amount of liquid)
1-3Chicken stock
3+ teaspoonful of Chili pepper powder (Depends on preference and amount of liquid)
Salt
4-5 Bay leaves

Directions
1. On a pot, heat on Low-medium add some olive oil to cover the bottom
2. Add chopped garlics and onions, then add a pinch of salt.
Wait until onions are slightly brown and soft. Make sure to stir so prevent burning
3. Add Potato cubes into the pot.
Mix/Stir them well
4. Soon after, add the pork cubes
5. Add 2 pinches of salt
6. Add a pinch or 2 of cumin and chili powder and mix well
7. Add 1-3 chicken stock (preferred to have liquid just a little over the added food)
8. When pork seems cooked, taste and add preferred amount of cumin and chili pepper powder.
9. Add 4-5 Bay leaves on top
10. Wait until the potatoes are soft and the pork is cooked all throughout then serve.

Pictures provided by ms. Zing Bowl.

Rigatoni with Tomato Cream Sauce and Chicken

recipe by Mrs. Salt
video by Oregano and Spatulasaurus
music by Spatulasaurus

Crepes~

Post and pics except the one above by P.Ladle.
Recipe of basic batter by: Tyler Florence

Basic Crepes Batter~
makes 10 (8-inch) crepes

1 cup milk
1/4 cup cold water
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
nutella
pine nuts

Easy Prep:
combine the milk, water, eggs, flour and salt in a blender.
Blend on medium for 15 seconds, until the batter is smooth and lump free.
Pour in 3 tbsp of melted butter and blend again for a second.
Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour to let it rest. If the crepes are made immediately, they have a tendency to be rubbery.
When you let the batter rest the crepes have a better texture and a softer bite.

And go~
1.Pour batter onto a non-stick pan, over medium heat.


2.Cook for 30-45 seconds. When you see light goldenness appearing on the crepe, flip it over, and do the same on the other side.


3. Put a spoonful of Nutella and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts


3a.To toast your own pine nuts:
Put pan on med. heat, pour pine nuts on the pan, move them around a few times, watchfully until slightly goldenness.




4.Fold crepe in half, and flip to even the cooking on both sides.

And voila! Yum! Enjoy!