[Cook] Banana Bread Muffins

I think I am getting better and better at baking. This banana bread muffins turned to be perfect! I had one when it was still warm. The crust was slightly crunchy. When it cooled, the outer layer became soft and moist. It was still really good. I brought some to work, and co-workers have requested that I make it again soon. :-)


Banana Bread Muffins

9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cups mashed ripe banana ( large)
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil

[Cook] Mocha Brownies

This morning I bought $16 for six months of meal-planning from Relish. Since my new year resolution is to eat healthier and to cook more at home, a meal planning service should help. Once a week, this website will come up with 20 main entrees (all with side dishes too) that are prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients. You just pick 4 or  5 that you like, and it'll generate a shopping list and recipes for you to print out. I went grocery shopping with a list today. The meal planning service really saved me a lot of time. I haven't tried any main entree yet. But today I made Mocha Brownies from their menu. Wait, I thought I was supposed to eat healthier?


Mocha Brownies

I don't think I'm supposed to share the recipe publicly since its copyright belongs to Relish. The brownie was made with brown sugar, butter, coffee, egg, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, salt, pecans, and chocolate chips. It was sinful and bad.... in a really yummy way!

[Cook] Roasted Fruit

This dessert recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast was just alright. I thought it tasted too buttery for my taste. I actually thought fresh nectarin, peach, and plum tasted better than the roasted one. I did like the rosemary in the dessert though. It added a different flavor and made this dessert tasted special.


Roasted Fruit

Roasting peaches, plums, and nectarines releases their juices and creates a nice sauce for this herb-scented dessert. You could also add apricots.

Yield: Serves 4

[Laguna Beach] [Dessert] Gelato Paradiso

Gelato Paradiso
448 S Coast Hwy #A
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 464-9255
http://www.gelatoparadiso.net

We found Gelato Paradiso by pure chance and luck! So we were just walking down Coast Highway, then I spotted this little alley way. I just felt like walking in there to see what stores are in this narrow alley. There were a restaurant, a chocolate shop, and some clothing stores.



All the way at the end of the alley, we saw a long line of people. What were they in line for?

[Cook] Rice Cooker Chocolate Cake

I tried to make a cake with rice cooker again. This time I made Chocolate Cake.


Rice Cooker Chocolate Cake

The result was better than the Butter Cake from last time. The cake wasn't as dry, but it was still drier than I would like. The taste of this cake is very "adult-like". It's not a sweet chocolate cake, but more like a slightly bitter cocoa cake. It's very good with coffee. Making cake with rice cooker is really easy. But I'm still not happy with the results. I think I will give it one more try. If it's still not as good as I like it, then I'll just make cake the traditional way.

[Cook] Rice Cooker Butter Cake

My sister bought a Taiwanese cookbook called "你想吃的甜點電子鍋都會做" (Make Desserts with Rice Cooker). Seriously? I can make cakes in rice cooker? She let me borrow the book to try out some recipes.


奶油蛋糕 Butter Cake

The first cake I tried was a simple Butter Cake. It was made with eggs, sugar, pastry flour, baking powder, butter, and vanilla extract. I just mixed everything, leave it in the rice cooker, and press the cook button. The first time and machine beeped (to signal it is done), the cake wasn't even half done. It was still in that watery state. So I pressed the cook button one more time. The second time it beeped, it was completely done. the cake looked good, and it smelt good, too.

[Cook] Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart

When I saw the finished cream tart, I couldn't believe I actually made it. It looked almost as good as store bought tart. Then when I tasted it, I still couldn't believe it came out of my own kitchen! I used to be so afraid of baking. Not anymore! The tart is not difficult to make, but just has many many steps, and each step takes some time to make. But when you taste it, you would think all the work is worth it! Since now is strawberry season, and lots of markets have strawberry on sale, it's great time to make this strawberry-almond cream tart!


Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart
Nothing says spring like juicy fresh strawberries, especially when they're topping a tender tart. You'll have extra glaze -- try it on ice cream or pound cake.

Crust:
36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
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

[Cook] Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

The muffins wasn't too sweet. It tasted like really good blueberry muffins with just a hint of lemon. The lemon glaze was ohhhhhhh so good!


Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
The  sweet citrus glaze drizzled over the muffins complements the flavor of the berries.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 cup blueberries
Cooking spray
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

[Cook] Spring Brunch

Instead of going out to eat, I made Eastern brunch at home! I got Wine, Food & Friends by Karen MacNeil at Border's bargain bin for only $5 (original price $25!). The recipes in the book all came from Cooking Light Magazine. Ms. MacNeil basically put the menu together, and suggested wines to pair with the menu.


Field Salad / Frittata / Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

The Spring Brunch menu includes

* Field Salad with Snow Peas, Grapes, and Feta

* Frittata with Spinach, Potatoes, and Leeks

* Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

* Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart

[Laguna Hills] [Dessert] Haagen Dazs

Haagen Dazs
25172 Cabot Road
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(949) 770-8300
http://www.haagen-dazs.com

I got a coupon for a free Dazzler from Haagen Dazs. I did a search for the nearest location on their website, and found this Laguna Hills "shop". When I got there, I was surprised to find out it was actually a gas station with a Haagen Dazs counter inside. But I guess Haagen Dazs in a gas station is still Haagen Dazs.


Haagen Dazs Dazzler

The coupon was for a Midnight Dazzler, but the lady at the counter told me they did not have the midnight chocolate ice cream. A dazzler is made of 3 scoops of ice cream with 3 layers of topping. Since they were out of the flavor, she let me pick any flavor I want. I got my favorite ice cream from Haagen Dazs, Raisin and Rum. For the toppings, I got Oreos, M&M, and gummy bear. Then I realized gummy bear is not a good topping for ice cream. Gummy bear will turn hard when mixed with ice cream.

[Cook] Vanilla Flan

之前做了傳統西班牙布丁Flan大成功之後，這次改做香草口味的布丁，做的好滑嫩喔！



不好意思，照片有點醜，因為我已經吃掉一個，然後另外三個裝在盒子裡準備要放進冰箱後才想起要照相，雖然這照片賣相不太好，但是布丁真的很好吃耶！

香草布丁的做法跟之前寫的都一樣，只是把肉桂粉改成一小匙香草精，牛奶起鍋後再加入扮勻，我個人是覺得比較喜歡原味的耶！香草也是不錯啦！但是還是原味讚啦！

[Cook] Flan

從小到大我都很喜歡吃布丁，以前在台灣有那種盒子長的像梅花五個花瓣形狀的布丁，隨時隨地在超市可以買到，喜歡布丁滑滑嫩嫩的口感，尤其喜歡下面那種咖啡色的甜醬，在美國好像都沒有看到有賣這樣的布丁，所以自從在我最近最愛的食譜裡，看到有布丁的做法，就一直很想試試，但是我對烘培可以說是一竅不通，所以剛開始做的時候還有點擔心，沒想到第一次做就大成功，而且真的好好吃，可見做法真的不難，大家都可以來試一試自己在家做布丁喔！


Flan 西班牙布丁

材料：
2杯牛奶
1/2小匙肉桂粉
1杯糖
2個蛋
2個蛋黃
鹽

[Cook] Chocolate-Pine Nut Cake

我妹再次挑戰甜點，這次又是大成功，吃起來不會太甜帶些許苦味的巧克力松子蛋糕，飯後來上一塊，真是大享受呢！


巧克力松子蛋糕 Chocolate-Pine Nut Cake

材料：
1杯(2條)無鹽奶油
6盎司苦甜巧克力(bittersweet chocolate)
6顆蛋
3/4小匙塔塔奶油(cream of tartar)
1/2杯糖
1顆檸檬的檸檬皮屑(grated zest)
1/2杯松子(pine nut)
2大匙玉米粉(cornstarch)
1/4小匙鹽
糖粉(powdered sugar)
可可粉(cocoa)

[Cook] Drunken Apple Cake

這是我妹做的白酒蘋果蛋糕，其實應該叫派啦！因為外面那層皮是酥酥脆脆的，這蛋糕真的真的很好吃，大家有機會一定要試試看啦！


白酒蘋果蛋糕 Drunken Apple Cake

外皮材料：
1/2杯(1條)無鹽奶油，室溫
2/3杯糖
1小匙香草精(vanilla extract)
1顆蛋
1 2/3杯麵粉
1 1/2小匙蘇打粉(baking powder)
1/2小匙鹽

Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts

連我的貓咪小草莓子都想偷吃的藍莓乳酪小蛋糕~~ 嘻嘻！剛好照相的時候她也跑來湊熱鬧，很可愛吧？ 

藍莓乳酪小蛋糕 Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts

材料：
2(8盎司)條奶油乾酪 (cream cheese)，在室溫放軟先
1杯糖
1小匙香草精 (vanilla extract)
2個蛋
12片香草薄酥餅 (vanilla wafers)
1罐藍苺罐頭，或任何你喜歡的水果口味