Hooray for Whole Wheat!

to debunk the myth that all tasty foods are unhealthy, i decided to try my hand at baking some heart-happy bread (don't get too impressed, i used a machine for the kneading :P). in doing so, i've discovered peter reinhart, who all foodies alike crown as the king of bread. he even has a bread blog that he updates regularly! yes folks, i do believe there is a new man in my life, haha.

since it's my first time working with whole wheat flour, i thought i'd ease into it with his recipe for "light wheat bread," from his bread baker's apprentice book (also featured on smitten kitchen). conclusion: the guy is a genius. the bread was fabulous- more dense than store bought sliced bread but still soft and chewy enough for sandwiches. and the smell of freshly baked bread... just use your imagination. or better yet, try it out for yourself!

Light Wheat Bread- from smitten kitchen
(makes one two-pound loaf)

2 1/2 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons dry milk
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or 2 tsp of regular active yeast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temp
1 1/4 cups water at room temp

**notes: i didn't have the dried milk the original recipe called for so i substituted 1/2 the water amt for regular milk. i also primed the yeast with warm water and sugar before adding it all to the mixture.**

1. Stir together the flours, salt, dry milk, and yeast. Add butter, honey/sugar, and water. Stir (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients form a ball. If still flour, add drops of water/milk. Dough should be soft and supple. Make sure not too tough! (if you cheat like me and use machine, use "dough" cycle and skip to step 3).

2. Sprinkle some flour on surface and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Add more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough- not sticky. Kneading should take about 10 min (6 min by machine). Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours- should be double in size.

3. Remove dough from the bowl and press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 to 10 inches long. Form it into a loaf (SK recommends rolling up the dough; i kind of just folded it). Place in a lightly oiled loaf pan, ends of dough touching pan. Lightly spray oil on top of dough and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise 60-90 min more- until dough crests above lip of pan.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F with rack in middle.

5. Bake 30 min. Rotate 180 degrees for even baking and bake another 10-30 min depending on the oven (mine only needed another 10 min of baking plus 5 min sitting in the oven after heat turned off for color). Finished loaf should look golden brown on top and edges.

6. Remove immediately from loaf pan and cool on rack for 1-2 hrs (haha, uh, i waited about 15 minutes before slicing off a piece!!! :P extra delicious while hot!)

now for your viewing pleasure:



in the words of bogart- king arthur, "i think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"



















love that whole grain texture!! (note: my slices are short b/c i halved the recipe)











yay crust.
















as promised, heart-healthy, meaty goodness














lastly, happy v-day everyone! :)

Snack Attack... Chinese- style!

my first day in the MICU, and i had the afternoon off! what better way to spend the extra hours than in the kitchen? :) i decided to try out a scallion pancake recipe- link included below. (sorry, too lazy today to type out instructions :P)

http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/chinese-scallion-pancakes-photo-photo-recipe

**note: this recipe requires yeast. and the water: flour measurements are definitely off. i had to add a lot of extra flour to get the dough to be the right consistency. but she does provide pictures, which helps

no rolling pin? no problem! improvise with any round-ish surface you have in the kitchen... (i used a beer glass hahaha)

final conclusion: major props to chinese moms who do this on a regular basis!


if you want to try a recipe without yeast, this is from my good friend, joanna:

Scallion Pancakes

1. mix 3 cups flour with 1 cup flour

2. add 1/3 cup cold water and mix til even

3. knead on lightly floured surface until you have smooth ball o'dough

4. let dough rest 30 mintures

5. chop scallions into 1/8" pieces while you wait

6. take dough and form log 2-3 inches in diameter

7. cut log into 6-8 equal pieces

8. take one piece of dough, round than flatten in lightly floured surface

9. roll dough until about 1/16" thick

10. put 1 tsp oil on top, spread evenly

11. sprinkle layer of salt on top then a layer of chopped scallions

12. roll up pancake with scallion side on inside

13. once you've rolledup pancake, take one end of the roll and wrap around the other so it makes a circle (similar to a cinammon roll) (tuck end under so it doesn't unravel)

14. put piece of saran wrap over them and let rest for 30 minutes (so oil can absorb into dough more)

15. roll them out after 30 minutes, flatten with palm first, then roll into round pancake until 1/8" thick

16. put about 1 Tbsp oil in frying pan and fry on medium high heat

let me know which you like better!

Baking... with a Vengeance

it's officially february now and winter is still in full swing. :( all this cold, wet, dreary weather (plus some extra time on my hands... gotta love 4th yr, haha) makes me in the mood to bake. below are some sweets (yes, healthy!) to try out for yourself. enjoy!

Gingerbread Squares (courtesy cooking light)

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (or plain nonfat yogurt)
* 1/2 cup molasses
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, and baking soda, stirring with a whisk.
3. Combine sugar, milk, molasses, butter, and egg in large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
4. Stir in flour mixture. Pour batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Fortune Cookies
(courtesy all recipes- fun to make but not sure if it's worth all the effort)

*2 egg whites
*1/4 tsp vanilla extract
*2 pinches of salt
*1/2 cup flour
*4 tablespoons sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a cookie sheet. Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
2. Mix egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift flour, salt, and sugar and blend into egg white mixture.
3. Place teaspoonfuls of batter at least 4 in apart. Spread with spoon or tilt sheet to move the batter into round circles about 3 inches in diameter. Make batter as round and even as possible. Be sure it is VERY thin, so that you can almost see the cookie sheet behind it.
(Do not make more than 2 at a time- the cookie has to be really hot to form and once it cools, it's too late)
4. Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale.

Note: Next steps require FAST movements!!!
5. Remove from oven. Use spatula to flip cookie upside down on plate. Quickly place fortune in middle of cookie and fold cookie in half.
6. Place the folded edge across the rim of a measuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into muffin tin to hold their shape until firm.
7. After all cookies made, turn off heat in oven. Place muffin tin with cookies in them back in oven to get more of a golden color.

Memories of Miami

looking through pics the other day, i came across our miami trip from back in december. lol- definitely one train wreck of a vacation, from bed bugs to scary public transpo encounters to car accidents. so much for spontaneity. nevertheless, still had a great time catching up with the former roomie. :)

one of the highlights of our trip was dinner at joe's stone crab- giant crab legs, creamed garlic spinach, grilled tomato with cheese, and of course, the famous key lime pie named for the area. in fact, it was so good, i was inspired to make it.

Key Lime Pie
(courtesy cooking light)

• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (i used the Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice since did not have fresh key limes on hand)
  
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1 graham cracker crust (can self make or buy pre-made)
  

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Beat eggs and egg whites at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Gradually add juice, rind, and milk to egg mixture, beating until well-blended.

3. Spoon mixture into crust. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until almost set (the center will not be firm but will set up as it chills).

4. Cool pie on a wire rack. Cover loosely, and chill 4 hours. If desired, spread whipped topping evenly over filling (**Note: i'm personally not a whipped cream fan, so i skipped this step. for those who do like whipped cream, i highly recommend making it yourself- add a little sugar to heavy cream and then beat with mixer until whipped cream texture and consistency is achieved).

end result: tart and refreshing, simple to make, and even semi-healthy! hey, who says you can't have it all ;)

now, if only i could be eating it here...

Love Affair with Basil

so recently, i've been messing around with fresh basil, and man, is it delicious! one thing's for certain, once you get hooked on the natural stuff, you can't go back to the dried and preserved (just like peanut butter... but that's a tangent for another day). instead of raving on and on about how basil can jazz up even the most basic ingredients, i'm going to throw out two simple recipes for you to try and taste for yourselves!

Tomato, Mozzerella, and Basil Phyllo Dough Pizza

1. preheat oven to 375
2. spread out 7-8 sheets of phyllo dough on lightly greased pan. be sure to follow phyllo dough directions to prevent sheets from drying out and to allow for proper separation between sheets.
3. top with mozzerella or mixture of appropriate cheeses.
4. lay slices of fresh tomato on top.
5. generously add freshly chopped basil.
6. add dash of oregano.
7. sprinkle light coating of cheese over everything.
8. bake 20-30 minutes until crust is golden brown.

serve as appetizer or even main meal!


Tomato and Basil Chicken Capellini

1. heat up olive oil and fresh chopped garlic on stove.
2. cook pasta separately.
3. add some diced onions.
4. add chicken chopped in small chunks. add 1 TBS of fresh basil. mix all together. simmer until chicken cooked through.
5. add red sauce with desired vegetables (i personally like zucchini and mushrooms).
6. add about another pinch or so of fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper. mix.
7. let it all simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. mix with the capellini and serve.
9. top with fresh cheese if so desired.

enjoy with a glass of white wine. a perfect light summer pasta. yums!

and if anyone out there has a favorite basil recipes/suggestions, do share!

Yay for Vitamin A

spending the 4th of july weekend in SA while everybody else cleared out of town translated into a lot of time to finish moving and settling in, running a gazillion errands, and just straight chillaxin'. so while i still have the time and kitchen all to myself, i decided to do some baking for the friends who helped me move. here goes another food/recipe-related entry (sorry for boring the rest of ya to death... but at least i figured out how to use the camera on my phone!)


Classic Carrot Cake

* 4 eggs
* 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil (purists will scorn this healthier modification preferred by me: 3/4
cups oil, 1/2 cup applesauce)
* 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup brown sugar
* 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, add dash of nutmeg too if you have some lying around)
* 3 cups grated carrots (don't grate too fine or else will be kind of mushy)
* 1/2- 1 cup of nuts/raisins optional

For frosting:

* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat to 350. Beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla.
2. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. Stir in carrots. Fold in nuts if desired.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes. If making cupcakes, bake 20 min. Cool completely before icing.
5. To make frosting, just beat all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

piping hot out of the oven...




















iced with chopped hazelnuts on top... yums!








































i leave you with my still very bare dining room.

Relocation Station

so i've officially moved into my new apt, and it is niccccce. so nice that even a scrub like me gets excited thinking about decorating. i was actually looking at some art for the walls today... but alas, after cutting the rent check, i will not be buying art for awhile.

i did get to initiate my kitchen tonight by making lettuce wraps found a great recipe on cooking light... quick, easy, tasty, and healthy!! made some modifications with preparations (see below). i added about 1/2 of a regular onion and some cooking wine to deepen the flavor. also used thai satay sauce instead of peanut butter (haha, need to save my precious PB for sandwiches and frozen bananas!! :D) and it worked out great. highly recommend this recipe for all those pfchang/ pei wei fans out there!

Crispy Ginger-and-Garlic Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

1 (20-ounce) package lean ground turkey
1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms (i just used regular mushrooms since i live in SA)
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (i definitely put more... but i like gingery stuff)
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves

Preparation (modified by me... follow at your own risk!)

1. Cook turkey in skillet about 5 minutes, stirring until turkey crumbles and is no longer pink. (I added a bit of the ginger and onions here and some wine). Remove meat.

2. In same skillet, add onions, ginger, garlic, and all the sauces and cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts to the mix. Stir a few more minutes.

3. Then add turkey back in and mix well! Cover and cook for a few minutes on med-low heat. Uncover and stir again.

4. Serve on lettuce leaves. And if you want to really impress, serve on a bed of vermicelli.

Okay, enjoy the recipe folks! Time for me to estudiar EKGs... tears in heaven. :(