Cookies are my specialty... oatmeal cookies were the first cookies I learned how to bake (well). I used to mix and match different recipes in an attempt to be creative… some of those experiments didn’t turn out so well, but a few actually led me to some great cookie ideas…

Nick asked me to make him some oatmeal cookies this weekend… this is a basic recipe that I found a few years ago from Epicurious.com… Normally I like adding chocolate chips or toffee chips in to the recipe, but this time I kept it simple, and only put in raisins…

INGREDIENTS:
1 ¼ cup oats
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl.
3. Add in oats.
4. Add in flour, salt and baking soda.
5. Add in raisins.
6. Beat the mixture well.
7. Drop 1-1 ½ inch teaspoons on to a greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes.
9. Let cookies cook before lifting off with baking spatula.

Makes about 36 cookies.

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Num Treap is a sesame sticky rice dessert that is prepared similar to that of American brownies; after preparing a warm mixture, you pour the mixture into a baking dish or pan, and then let it cool for a few hours… after cooling, cut into squares and serve.

INGEDIENTS:
1 cup sweet rice
1 cup water
2/3 cup coconut milk
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place Jasmine rice and water in a saucepan bring to the boil then reduce heat; cover and cook very gently for about 15 minutes or until the rice is just cooked.
2. While the rice is cooking, place the coconut milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a large saucepan and cook over a medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring frequently.
3. Fluff the rice with a fork to separate.
4. Add rice to the coconut sauce in the other pan, and mix well.
5. Spread the mixture into a shallow dish and sprinkle sesame seeds on top, pressing them down with a wooden spoon.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to set for few hours.
7. Cut into squares after it cools for a few hours, and then serve.

Adapted from www.recipes4us.co/uk

Cambodian, food, desserts, cooking, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

The key ingredient in this corn and bean side dish is sofrito. The flavor base is sautéed and then combined with baby lima beans and corn – the Caribbean meets Native American!

INGREDIENTS:
Salted water
8 ears fresh corn
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon achiote seeds
1 cup sofrito
¼ cup alcaparrado
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen baby lima beans
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and medium diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a boil.
2. Lower heat to simmer, add corn, and cook 5 minutes.
3. Drain and set aside to cool.
4. In small frying pan gently heat olive oil; add achiote seeds until the color of a sunset.
5. Strain oil into large sauté pan; discard seeds.
6. In large saucepan heat achiote oil over medium low heat, and add sofrito, alcaparrado, cumin and bay leaves (you can also add a little brine from the alcaparrado).
7. While water cooks out, scrap kernels off cobs and into bowl, separating kernels with fingers.
8. Add corn to pan, along with baby lima beans and diced tomatoes.
9. Season with salt and black pepper.
10. Lower heat to simmer, cook and cover 13-15 minutes, until lima beans are tender and cooked through.
11. Sprinkle finished dish with cilantro, stir and serve.

Notes:
** Alcaparrado: a mixture of green olives, capers, and pimientos
** Achiote seeds: a slightly musky-flavored seed of the annatto tree; available whole or ground, and can be found in East Indian, Spanish and Latin American markets
** Sofrito: A tomato based sauce for cooking beans, rice dishes, soups and other Caribbean and Latin dishes; made with tomato paste, peppers, spices, coriander and onion

Serves 8
Adapted from LATINA 2005

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Cassava bread is a flat unleavened bread made from yuca. Longaniza is a pork sausage often used in Mexico and Caribbean countries, and is generally seasoned with paprika, cinnamon, aniseed, garlic, and vinegar.

INGREDIENTS:
½ lb. longaniza, removed from casing
1 large Spanish onion, medium chopped
4 carrots, trimmed, peeled and medium-chopped
5 stalks celery, medium-chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
8 oz. cassava bread, broken into nit sized pieces
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large pan, sauté longaniza, breaking up with wooden spoon; stir until lightly browned.
3. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook over medium heat until the onions and celery are wilted and transparent.
4. Crumble cassava bread into sauté pan and stir to mix completely.
5. Pour chicken broth over contents of pan and stir so bread soaks up broth.
6. Butter baking dish and transfer contents of pan to prepared dish.
7. Dot mixture with remaining butter.
8. Add a little salt and pepper. (You wont need much because longaniza is highly seasoned).
9. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
10. Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes , until golden and crisp on top.

** You can substitute longaniza for Italian sausage heavily seasoned with garlic and pepper, and for cassava bread, you can stale tortillas or tortilla chips.

Serves 8
Adapted from LATINA 2005

cooking, food, recipes, Latin food, Cassava, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

Somlah Machoo is a popular Cambodian sour soup that my mom makes all the time. I believe there are several variations of the recipe; however the base is more less the same. The recipe below (www.khmeronline.com) calls for ribs and watercress. We normally use chicken, and no watercress… my mom sometimes adds pieces of fresh chopped pineapple. I love this addition; it really brings out a nice flavor in the soup.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PASTE:
2 stalks of lemongrass thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon peeled, coarsely chopped galangal 1 large shallot coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2/3 cup water

DIRECTIONS FOR THE PASTE:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.


INGREDIENTS FOR THE SOUP:
2 1/2 pounds of baby back ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (chicken may be substituted)
5 cups of water
3 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar.
1 cup of tamarind juice
winter melon (cut into smal pieces)
Red bell pepper (sliced), to garnish.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE SOUP:
1. Transfer the paste into a large pot.
2. Stir in ribs and cook over medium-high heat, stirring well for 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the water, fish sauce, salt, and sugar into the pot. Bring to boil over high heat.
4. When the soup has reached a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer (partially covered), until the ribs are tender, about 1 ¼ hours.
5. Stir in tamarind juice and watercress.
6. Remove from heat and serve in bowls.
7. Garnish with slices of red pepper.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS FOR SPRING ROLL:
250 g/8 oz finely minced pork
250 g/8 oz fresh mung bean sprouts
1 cup soaked bean thread vermicelli
6 dried Chinese mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 packet frozen spring roll pastry oil for deep frying

INGREDIENTS FOR DIPPING SAUCE:
2 cloves garlic1
1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 hot red chili, seeded and chopped
5 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
3 tablespoons roasted crushed peanuts

DIRECTIONS FOR SPRING ROLLS:
1. Put the pork and the washed, drained bean sprouts into a bowl.
2. Cut soaked vermicelli into 5 cm (2 in) lengths.
3. Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 25 minutes, discard stems and slice caps finely.
4. Combine all these ingredients with the onion, sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce, mixing thoroughly.
5. If using small sheets, 125 mm (5 in) square, use one sheet per roll.
6. If using large sheets 250 mm (10 in) square, cut in half.
7. Take 2 teaspoons of the mixture and shape into a neat roll.
8. Place at one end of the pastry square and roll up, turning ends in so the filling is completely enclosed.
9. Deep fry in hot oil over medium heat, cooking the rolls for at least 2 minutes on each side so the filling is thoroughly cooked.
10. Drain on paper towels and serve warm, accompanied by the dipping sauce.

DIRECTIONS FOR DIPPING SAUCE:
1. Crush the garlic with some of the sugar.
2. Combine with the chili and fish sauce, leave for 10 minutes.
3. Add the boiling water, lemon juice and vinegar and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes for flavours to mellow.
4. Stir in the peanuts just before serving.

Makes about 20
Adopted from khmeronline.com



Cambodian, food, recipes, cooking, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium eggplant
¼ cup of vegetable oil
¼ cup of chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup milk
Flour
Vegetable oil for frying
8 ounces fresh sliced mozzarella cheese
4 ounces fresh sliced prosciutto
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet.
2. Add onions and garlic into the skillet and sauté over low heat. Stir occasionally until onion become tender.
3. Stir in parsley, salt, fresh ground pepper, and tomato sauce. Let simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, peel and slice the eggplant. Make each slice about ¼ inch thick.
5. In a bowl, beat the egg slightly. Add in milk and 1 tablespoon oil.
6. Dust each slice of eggplant with flour, patting well to remove any excess flour.
7. Dip the floured eggplant slice into the egg and milk mixture, and then drain.
8. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
9. Fry eggplant on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Fry until slices are golden brown.
10. In a 2-quart baking dish, layer the fried eggplant, tomato sauce, prosciutto, and mozzarella, topping each layer off with parmesan cheese.
11. Bake for about 30 minutes at about 350°.

Serves 6


cooking, food, recipes, eggplant, Italian food, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

Savory Beer Duck!

Beer Duck with White Rice and Green Beans

Last Sunday, the girls and I had a cooking night topped off with some Desperate Housewives! This recipe for Beer Duck that Katherine got from her mom was really delicious!! Instead of duck, however, we decided to use chicken, and instead of a whole chicken, we actually substituted chicken breasts. The results were mouth-watering!

Beer Duck
INGREDIENTS:
1 duck
1/3 cup of light soy sauce
1/3 cup of dark soy sauce
1 oz. beer
2/3 cup of sugar
2-3 small pieces of ginger
2/3 cup of water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Set oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a baking dish or tray with foil
3. Mix light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, beer, sugar and water in a bowl
4. Marinate duck in mixture for ½ hour – 1 hour
5. Bake duck in oven for ½ hour
6. Flip duck over after ½ hour, and bake on the other side for another ½ hour

Recipe adopted from ECCFC


cooking, food, recipes, duck, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

My cousin Janine claims to have no cooking skills whatsoever, so therefore she was a little hesitant when I suggested that she cook her boyfriend a romantic dinner for his birthday. Being the wonderful person that I am, I offered to break down some of my favorite simple recipes for her to make.

- CAPRESE (Tomato Mozzarella Salad)
- STUFFED MUSHROOMS
- PASTA PRIMAVERA
- BROCCOLI WITH LEMON CRUMBS
- CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES


CAPRESE (Tomato and Mozzarella Salad)
INGREDIENTS:
4 medium tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 fresh basil leaves
Fresh Mozzarella
Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Slice the 4 medium tomatoes into thin, quarter inch slices.
2. Strain the mozzarella, and then slice it into thin slices. I like to slice mine into third inch slices. I love mozzarella!
3. Alternate tomatoes and mozzarella on a serving plate.
4. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.
5. Add the basil leaves as a garnish.

* I like this dish much better with some balsamic vinegar . . . you can drizzle it over the tomato and mozzarella stack, or you can add around the stack or even underneath the stack.


STUFFED MUSHROOMS
INGREDIENTS:
12 whole fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel.
4. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet.
7. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic.
8. Set aside to cool.
9. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper.
10. Mixture should be very thick.
11. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing.
12. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.
13 Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.


BROCCOLI WITH LEMON CRUMBS
INDGREDIENTS:
2 slices whole-wheat bread
2 tablespoons butter
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 12-ounce bags broccoli florets OR 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets

DIRECTIONS:
1. Whirl the bread in a food processor or blender to make bread crumbs. (Unless you have store bought crumbs) Sometimes I like to use crumbled croutons. You can buy the flavored kinds … like garlic herb or something.
2. Melt the butter in a small skillet.
3. Add the bread crumbs and sauté over medium heat until toasted.
4. Grate the zest from the lemon.
5. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the pan.
6. Add the salt and several grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until dry. (The Lemon Crumbs can be made to this point up to 2 days ahead. Spoon into a plastic bag and set aside at room temperature.)
7. Cooking the broccoli:
This recipe tells you to cook it in the microwave (it’s easier and it saves time). If you want, you can boil or steam the broccoli on the stove, which is what I like to do. It’s your call on this one.
Microwave the broccoli according to the package directions. (If using fresh broccoli, pile the florets on a microwave-safe plate and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.)
8. Remove and sprinkle with the Lemon Crumbs.


PASTA PRIMAVERA
INGREDIENTS:
6 qt. water
2 tablespoons salt
6 asparagus (Cut the tough ends off of the asparagus off, and finely dice them. Keep the tips of the asparagus whole, and in one piece.)
½ pound of broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 large sweet onion, chopped up finely
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
¾ cup fresh peas OR frozen peas
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 lb. fresh fettuccine OR 12 oz. dried fettuccine
1 cup heavy cream OR half & half light cream
12 fresh basil leaves
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Chop up all the vegetables; be sure that everything is the same size so that it looks pretty
2. Bring the water and the salt to a rolling boil.
3. Add the asparagus and broccoli and cook for one minute; remove them and then plunge into cold water to stopping cooking.
4. Save the water that you used to boil the vegetables. You are going to use that same water to boil the pasta in a minute.
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
5. Add onions and carrots. Cook by stirring over heat until soft. Add blanched asparagus and broccoli along with the frozen peas and salt and pepper to taste. Cook till all vegetables are tender.
6. Now, re-boil the pot of water (the same water used for the asparagus and broccoli).
7. Add in fettuccine and cook until tender. While the pasta is cooking, add cream to vegetables and stir while simmering.
8. When the pasta is tender, drain out the water.
9. Then add the pasta to the vegetables, along with the basil leaves and cheese.
10. Serve very hot!


CHOCLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES
INGREDIENTS:
16 ounces milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening (hydrogenated vegetable oil, such as Crisco)
1 pound fresh strawberries with leaves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Insert toothpicks into the tops of the strawberries.
2. In a double boiler, (this is a small pot placed above a larger pot that contains boiling water) melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Holding them by the toothpicks, dip the strawberries into the chocolate mixture.
4. Turn the strawberries upside down and insert the toothpick into Styrofoam for the chocolate to cool.

* I usually just lay them neatly on wax paper.

* If you don’t want to go through the trouble of melting the chocolate, you can buy chocolate at the grocery store that is made specifically for dipping fruit. I used something similar when I was making dinner for Nick a while back, and it worked out great!! It’s much more convenient. I found it in the baking aisle, and all I had to do was microwave the chocolate and then dip my strawberries into them. I refrigerated them for about 20 minutes, and they cam out perfect!


recipes, food, cooking, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

- Katherine's Mini Crab Cakes
- Katherine's Green Beans
- Madi's Empanadas
- Mrs. Jefferson's Brownies


Katherine's Mini Crab Cakes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/3 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely minced celery
1/3 cup minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, shells picked out
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 teaspoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Whisk mayonnaise, egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and salt in bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs, celery, bell pepper and onion. Gently stir in crab. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
2. Transfer remaining bread crumbs to a large shallow dish and toss with parsley. Place a 25-inch-long piece of waxed paper on flat surface. Pack a level measuring tablespoon with crab mixture and drop onto breadcrumbs; gently turn to coat and shape into 1 1/2-inch cake. Place on waxed paper. Repeat.
3. Heat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly coat a large cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 8 to 10 crab cakes to skillet and cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until golden. Transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining oil and crab cakes.
4. Bake crab cakes 10 minutes, until heated through. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve. Makes about 36 cakes.


Katherine's Green Beans

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound frsh green beans with the ends pinched off
5 tbs balsalmic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp oregano

DIRECTIONS:
1. Saute green beans with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add balsamic vinegar and oregano, while stirring ocassionally until tender as desired.


Madi's Empanadas

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef
sofrito
Goya Sazon
1 handful of spanish olives
1/2 cup tomato sauce
empanada shells or pastry sheets
cooking oil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix the ground beef, 4 tablespoons of sofrito, 1 packet of Goya Sazon, a handful of chopped spanish olives, and half a cup of tomato sauce in a mixing bowl.
2. Heat cooking oil in pan.
3. Cook meat in pan until meat is no longer pink (20 minutes or so).
4. Microwave empanada shells for 30 seconds (unless using pastry sheets).
5. Fill empanada shell with meat, fold over shell, and pinch with a fork.


Mrs. Jefferson's Brownies

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 squares unsweetened Ghirardelli chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chooped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease and 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan.
2. Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
3. In small bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time, until very light. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla.
4. At low speed, blend in flour mixture just until combined. Stir in nuts.
5. Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake 30 minutes.
6. Cool 10 minutes. With sharp knife, cut into squares. Let cool completely in pan.
Makes 16.


recipes, food, cooking, crab cakes, empanadas, brownies, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

Katherine had her housewarming party on Saturday night. Good times and good food!! Here are the pictures. The recipes will be posted soon...

Katherine's Mini Crab Cakes

Katherine's Green Beans

Katherine's Potatoes

Katherine's Fish

Katherine cutting the fish

Mrs. Jefferson's Brownies

Madi's Empanadas