New Year's Eve 2014 - We Wax Philosophical

It's New Year's Eve 2014—December 31, 2014—meaning it's time for bloggers everywhere, including yours truly, to wax philosophical.  Or to photograph some impossibly beautiful decor, finger food, dessert, #OOTD—you get the idea.

In my case, because I prefer to spend New Year's Eve at home, warm and cuddling with my dog, it will be the former as opposed to the latter.

I've always been, for lack of a better word, energetic—tireless even, some might say.  There are 150 pages of contract, criminal, and property law assigned for tomorrow?  No problem, but I'll take a break in between for a three-hour dinner and a piano jam session.  You need me to stay at the office tonight until 2 A.M.?  No problem, but I'll wake up naturally at 7 A.M. to bake muffins for the team.  You want me to help cater a party for 75 of our classmates (seriously, this happened)?  No problem, I just need 24 hours to prep and cook and still have energy to mingle.  Is there a veritable mountain of presents to wrap for Christmas?  No problem, but I'll need to make some mulled wine on the stove and put on some Christmas music to coax out my inner Martha Stewart.  Don't mind me while I dance badly in the living room.

I've also tended to have a lot of interests.  I always want to learn something new, try something new, focus on getting better, read more books, play more music, etc., etc., the list goes on.

But 2014 wasn't a great year.

There, I said it.  It's true.  When I look back on 2014, I see that, for the first time, I have very little to point to in terms of things I swore I'd do... that I actually did.  And that's sad.

I want to be clear, though.  It's not that 2014 was a bad year.  In fact, in many ways, it was very good.  Some of my closest friends moved to NYC.  I met some amazing new people.  I was able to take not one, but two, vacations, both much needed and appreciated.  I had some great moments at work.  My family and dogs are all doing well.  I am blessed.

But, in 2014, in some ways, I lost me.  I started projects and never finished.  Worse still, sometimes I thought of starting projects and never even began.  I came home from work and, for the first time, was too tired to do anything other than break open a bag of popcorn.  (Mmm.)

And so I lost 2014.

In 2015, then, I vow to do, to live, to be myself again.

I don't have plans yet, but I'm excited to make them.  Aren't you?

[Recipe] "An Apple a Day... " Apple Pie Cupcakes

I'm on a bit of a cupcake crusade.  I secretly don't really like commercial cupcakes at all, finding most to be either too sweet, too dry, or way too rich.  The ratio of icing to cupcake, in my opinion, is also almost never right—I've actually had the unfortunate experience of biting into what was essentially a large slab of butter that never got creamed...

My cupcake crusade is very personal-- creating or baking a variety of cupcakes that prove that homemade is best.  What my cupcakes currently lack in presentation, they more than make up for in taste.  Or so I'm told... 

"An Apple a Day... " Apple Pie Cupcakes
a recipe inspired by Baked By Rachel
Yield: 16 cupcakes

If you're like me, you like to think you're eating healthy, even if you're not technically.  I'm all about making desserts that are ever-so-slightly healthier than they otherwise could be, then congratulating myself on making "healthy" choices.  I'm sorry if that's too honest... but it did lead me to this apple-centric cupcake, which uses a lot of applesauce (see, healthy!) and should generally help to keep the doctor away, per the old adage.

These cupcakes are a bit time- and (kind of) labor-intensive, but I think they're worth it, especially if you're looking to impress.  They're also pretty American (seriously, American pie?), so they're perfect (and a bit unexpected) for any number of special occasions.

Cupcake/Apple Pie Filling - Ingredients
4 cups apples (roughly 5 apples)
12 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking dish (13 x 9 will work) with aluminum foil and set aside.
2.  Peel, core, and chop apples into 1/2-inch pieces.  Toss with brown sugar and cinnamon to coat.  Add to baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
3.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool. 

Apple Spice Cupcake Base - Ingredients
6 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup applesauce (plain or cinnamon)
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoons nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves

Directions
1.  Line a cupcake tin with liners and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together sugars, applesauce, and vegetable oil.  Mix in eggs and vanilla extract, followed by the remaining ingredients.  Mix just until combined.
3.  Divide the batter into the cupcake liners evenly.  Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean. 

4.  After the cupcakes have cooled completely, scoop out the center of each cupcake and fill the resulting craters with the cooled apple pie filling.  Carefully slice the bottom of the cupcake scoop and place the new cupcake dome on top of the filling.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting - Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
4-1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 tablespoons caramel syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions
1.  Prepare buttercream in a medium bowl or stand mixer.  Cream butter and confectioner's sugar together.
2.  Add the vanilla extract, caramel syrup, and heavy cream.  Beat until smooth and of a spreadable consistency.  More heavy cream may be added if necessary.
3.  Pipe or frost cupcakes as desired.  Drizzle with additional caramel syrup.  Top with a cinnamon apple chip or a real piece of pie crust.

This marks the first time I was ever able to use a frosting tip successfully (sort of).  The presentation fooled a lot of people—several (newer) co-workers wondered what the occasion was, for me to buy a dozen fancy cupcakes for the office.  Cupcake Mission: accomplished.

[Recipe] "Sweet Morning After" Strawberry Banana Almond Overnight Oats

I'm never grouchy in the mornings.  For real.  I might snooze or lounge fifteen minutes longer than I should, but I never wake up on the "wrong side" of bed, so to speak.  Of course, that's kind of hard to do when you have this most adorable of puppies to wake up to each morning: 

But there is one thing that can frazzle me: running behind schedule and, of course, not having enough time to eat.  It's usually not a problem—it's easy enough to eat a banana and some yogurt or a bowl of cereal, but I like to change it up sometimes when it comes to the most important meal of the day, and I don't always have the time to cook before heading to work.

Enter, overnight oats.

"Sweet Morning After" Strawberry Banana Almond Overnight Oats
an original recipe by tammiest (the Passionfruit Fashionista)

I first learned of overnight oats thanks to a featurette on Buzzfeed, which in turn led me to Kath of KathEats, whose colorful, beautiful photography are persuasion of the highest order.  Overnight oats are easy peasy, as long as you can remember to spend about 5-10 minutes the night before assembling all the ingredients.  The basic ratio is 1/3 cup rolled oats to 1/3 cup Greek yogurt and 1/3 cup skim milk, plus whatever toppings and mixings (non-crunchy) your heart desires, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated until morning.  The milk can be substituted out for almond milk or coconut milk, of course, and the yogurt can be swapped out entirely (though it's recommended for thickening purposes), but the whole point is that the oats need to soak overnight.  It's actually better for digestion and nutrition, generally, for oats to be soaked (or "cultured," which is the more appropriate term).

And boy, is it delicious-- a second something worth waking up to every morning.

Ingredients
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup Chobani vanilla chocolate chip yogurt
1/3 cup skim milk (or almond milk)
1/2 banana, thinly sliced
5 strawberries, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons almond tea powder (or almond butter)
Pinch of salt

Directions
1.  Mix/layer all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl or mason jar, then cover with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator overnight.

2.  In the morning, take out of the refrigerator and eat directly or pop into the microwave for thirty seconds on 50% power to take the chill out of the oats.

[Recipe] "Hearty Breakfast Special" Cupcakes

Nothing beats breakfast in bed, though I can't say I've ever really had it except while traveling for business.  I suppose, in those situations, I first have to get out of bed and open the door, hair mussed, but still, I love being in my PJs or wrapped up in a fluffy robe when feasting on pancakes or eggs benedict.

"Hearty Breakfast Special" Cupcakes
a recipe by Aaron McCargo, Jr.
Yield: 12 cupcakes

My friend Adam once asked for some relationship advice after he'd upset his very serious, live-in girlfriend.  Our mutual friend—a man—suggested flowers, but I told Adam to surprise his girlfriend with breakfast in bed.

Breakfast in bed is easy points, a wonderful surprise.  There's nothing like waking up to delicious smells and that amazing feeling of being completely cared for.  And it's not difficult: some toast, bacon or breakfast sausage, and eggs, scrambled or sunny side up.  Or pancakes (it can seriously even be made from Bisquick).  If you're feeling fancy, an omelette.  If cooking's not your thing, a nice bowl of cereal with fresh cut fruit.  Add a glass of juice or a mug of coffee, depending on your significant other's tastes, and it's the perfect start to any day.

Ingredients
Canola oil spray
6 thick-cut slices of good-quality bacon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 cups prepared pancake batter
8 oz. mascarpone
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions
1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare a cupcake pan with canola oil spray.
2.  Prepare a broiler pan and place the bacon on the pan.  Cook until well crisped, about 6 minutes.  Remove from the oven and reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.

3.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix the chives into the pancake batter and pour into the cupcake tins so that they are 3/4 full.  Bake for 12 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the mascarpone, confectioner's sugar, maple syrup and the reserved bacon drippings.  Stir well to combine and set aside.  Crumble the cooked bacon and set aside.

5.  Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack, about 10 minutes.  Frost each cupcake with the bacon icing and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon.

[Recipe] Christmas 2013: "Celebrate This Night" Red Wine Risotto

Risotto: the so-called bane of nearly every Top Chef and Chopped contestant ever.  But I like a challenge, and I've always eschewed that age-old advice to never invite company over for dishes you've never made before-- they are not guinea pigs.

The Christmas risotto is definitely risotto, if only because it's inspired by Giada de Laurentiis' recipe (though much modified).  It's not very traditional, though.  There's no heavy cream and no white wine, not much cheese.  It's a red wine, but I thought it would be festive and charming in the winter.

"Celebrate This Night" Red Wine Risotto
a recipe inspired by Giada de Laurentiis

The secret to risotto, it turns out, is TLC, Tender Loving Care (okay, maybe the "T" could stand for "Time," too).  Risotto requires patience and constant attention, frequent stirring and adding and more stirring.  In this, it's like any relationship, romantic or platonic—you can let it simmer on its own for a bit, but you've always got to keep an eye on it, to tend to it, make sure no edges are burnt and that the rice is always absorbing more liquid, more flavor, and more love.

Ingredients
3-1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 lb. button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 whole zucchini, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1.  Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Cover the broth and keep warm over very low heat.
2.  Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, about 8 minutes.  Remove from pan-- keep in a large bowl until needed.

3.  Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the same heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and saute for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Then add the zucchini and saute until soft, about another 5-7 minutes.

 

4.  Stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, until the rice is toasted.  Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute.  Add the mushrooms back in.  Add 3/4 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 6 minutes.  Repeat, adding 3/4 cup of hot broth 2 more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer.

PRO TIP (okay, this is Giada's Tip): At this point, the risotto can be made 4 hours ahead.  Refrigerate the risotto (the rice will still be firm) and remaining broth, uncovered, until cool, then cover and keep them refrigerated until ready to proceed.

5.  Bring the remaining broth to a simmer, then cover and keep it warm over very low heat.  Stir 3/4 cup of hot broth into the partially cooked risotto over medium heat until the broth is absorbed and the risotto is hot, about 3 minutes.  Add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer.

6.  Stir in the parsley.  Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.  Spoon the risotto into bowls.  Sprinkle additional cheese on top and serve.

[Recipe] Christmas 2013: "Happy Holidays" Mulled Wine

I'm obsessed with Christmas music.  I listen to a ton of it immediately after (often during and slightly before) Thanksgiving and right through January.  

Few things remind me of Christmas so much as mulled wine.  Which is only funny because it had no place in my childhood or in any of my Christmases at all until a few short years ago.  But there's something so comforting and wonderful about the sweet, spicy aroma and the warmth spreading through your chest and down to your fingers and toes.

For my first attempt, I went with this amazing recipe, courtesy of Adeline & Lumiere.  I prefer my mulled wine sweet rather than dry, and the combination of fruits and fruit peels in this "appeeled" to me (I'm really into puns, #SorryImNotSorry).

"Happy Holidays" Mulled Wine
a recipe by Adeline & Lumiere


Ingredients
750 mL (1 standard bottle) red wine
150 grams sugar (castor, if possible)
1/2 cup orange juice
peel of one lemon
peel of one orange
1 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
pinch of ginger

Directions
1.  Place all ingredients except the wine into a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add just a small amount of red wine to the pan to ensure the sugar is covered and let cook for 4-5 minutes, until it becomes thick and sticky.
2.  Once the mixture has become sticky enough, add the rest of the wine and turn down the heat to simmer.  Be careful not to let the wine boil—the alcohol will evaporate.  Let cook for 5 minutes and serve hot with slices of fresh orange.

 

 

I wish I had thought enough in advance to take a pretty picture of the finished wine in our Christmas glasses, but I suppose this just gives me another excuse to make this.  It's still winter, after all, and everyone can use a little (holiday) cheer, no matter the month.

[Recipes] Christmas Dinner 2013

I love Christmas.  Oh, I know you may have surmised by now that I love many things, especially holidays and special occasions (there's just so much beauty and happiness), but Christmas is special for me.  I like to think I'm not particularly materialistic, so it's not the presents that excite me so much as the overall air of the season.  I love the tinkling, happy music; the twinkling, beautiful lights; the way everyone (barring any Scrooges) suddenly has smiles and good cheer to spare; the spirit of charity that seems to be everywhere (although, seriously, that should be a year-round thing); and the sparkle in someone's eyes as they unwrap that perfect gift you've gotten them.  Even if you're not religious (though I am), Christmas has come to be almost a neutral holiday in many senses, a holiday for friends and family to gather and exchange presents and eat deliciously iced sugar and gingerbread cookies.

This year, both Christmas and New Year's fell on Wednesdays, meaning that I only got one day off from work for each.  I managed to go home to my family the weekend in between the two holidays, but a number of my friends and colleagues weren't so lucky.  They were just... well, stuck.

So, for Christmas this year, my friend and I took in these so-called "Christmas orphans" for a night of veritable feasting and general merriment.

"Fancy Schmancy Pants" Pomegranate and Pear Champagne Salad
a recipe inspired by Guy Fieri

I dare you to find a salad more festive than this.  I had the idea that pomegranate salad would be great for the winter holidays, and the icing on this cake (and yes, I am aware of the irony in using this idiom in describing a salad) is its usage of champagne vinegar.  I was just as surprised as you are to discover that Guy Fieri created this dish.  Not that I dislike him—I'm actually addicted to Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives—but it's just, well, so light and elegant.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly, in part due to personal preference and in part due to ingredient constraints.  I actually couldn't find champagne vinegar—but the store did carry pomegranate champagne vinegar, which was even better.  I also purposely used some sort of fruit cheese (raspberry brie, I think) because I dislike Gorgonzola.  *runs away*  It has a very distinct, overpowering flavor that might give the salad extra pop.

Salad - Ingredients
8 cups baby spinach or romaine lettuce
1 ripe pear, cut in half
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2 ounces Gorgonzola or fruit-based cheese
Fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon honey

Champagne Vinaigrette - Ingredients
1/4 cup [pomegranate] champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1. For the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl or glass jar, add all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except the olive oil.  Mix well, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil to combine.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
2.  In a decorate bowl or platter, add the spinach or romaine.  Cut the pear into fans and then slice again on the diagonal, add the greens and pomegranate seeds, crumble the Gorgonzola (or other cheese) onto the salad and then drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette.  Top with fresh cracked pepper and lightly drizzle the whole salad with the honey.  Serve immediately.

"Back to Basics" Brussels Sprouts
an original recipe by tammiest (the Passionfruit Fashionista)

Have you ever noticed that there's a very short list of truly classic American sides?  They tend to accompany every major family meal, holiday or otherwise.  I made three classic holiday sides for my holiday dinner, but they're perfect for any night of the week.

I've previously mentioned how much I love brussels sprouts, despite its being one of the top ten foods reviled by children.  I never had them as a child, though, being the child of Asian immigrants, and it's unclear why I ever thought I should purchase them at that farmers' market one fateful day two years ago, but I'm so happy I made the leap.  They're just so deliciously nutty, and they pick up flavor so well.

Ingredients
1 lb. brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted or 2 tablespoons EVOO
sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1.  Wash brussels sprouts thoroughly and cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts.  In a large stockpot, blanch the brussels sprouts in salted, boiling water until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove the brussels sprouts from the water and set aside to cool.
2.  Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or EVOO to a medium skillet and add blanched brussels sprouts.  Cook in the skillet until softened and browned, stirring occasionally, about 6-10 minutes.  Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

"Back to Brown [Sugar]" Glazed Carrots
a recipe by Tyler Florence

The second of my classic holiday sides, the glazed carrot recipe I used is Tyler Florence's.  Super simple flavor profile, just brown sugar and chicken stock to enhance the carrots' natural sweetness.

Ingredients
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in wedges (or baby carrots, for simplicity's sake)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions
Combine the carrots, chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots are tender and the liquid is cooked down.  Add the remaining butter and brown sugar.  Rotate the pan around to coat the carrots with the syrup.

"These Mashed Potatoes Are So Creamy" Mashed Potatoes
a recipe inspired by Tyler Florence

That's a line from While You Were Sleeping, which is probably my most favorite movie ever, and points to you if you recognized it.

The third classic side is, of course, mashed potatoes.   There are a number of ways to do it-- with or without garlic, with milk, half-and-half, sour cream, heavy cream, the list goes on.  I modified ever-so-slightly a recipe from Tyler Florence.

Ingredients
2 lbs. golden creamer potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 lbs. red-skinned new potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions
1.  Put the potatoes into a large pot, add the bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of salt, and cover with cold water.
2.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain them well and remove the bay leaves.

3.  While the potatoes are cooking, heat the cream, milk, and butter in a small saucepan.
4.  Put the potatoes into a bowl and smash.  (I like to leave a few larger chunks of potato, barely broken down, for texture.)  Add the hot cream slowly, in parts, and season with salt and pepper.  Mix together with a spoon and add the chives.

"Celebrate This Night" Red Wine Risotto - Recipe in This Post

"'Tis the Season" Roast Chicken with Leeks and Pears - Recipe in This Post (To Come)

"Heartwarming Good Cheer" Herb-Crusted Prime Rib Roast - Recipe in This Post (To Come)

"Holiday Refresher" Mint Julep Cupcakes - Recipe in This Post

"Ladyfingers Schmadyfingers" Tiramisu