Flavor Trends

Has anyone noticed that there seems to be a flavor trend going around? Blood Orange. I have noticed this flavor circulating Pinterest and some of my favorite blogs, and I love it! Not only does blood orange have a succulent tangy flavor, but there is the beautiful pop of color from the bright orange peel to the vibrant red orange fruit inside. It also fulfills the temptations with summer even with a foot of snow on the ground.

By Stephamelon

Some of my favorite recipes that have been popping up:

• Blood Orange Margaritas
• Blood Orange Mimosas
• Blood Orange Sangria
• Blood Orange Brulee Tarts
• Blood Orange Sherbet
• Blood Orange Bars

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Cupcake Batter
1.5 c of all-purpose flour
1/2 Tb baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick of butter
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
3 Tb maple syrup
2/3 c milk

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 c vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 Tb water (you may need more depending on consistency)
1/2 bag of powder sugar
1 Tb dried egg whites
Pinch of salt
1/3 c cocoa powder

Garnish
Candied Bacon (bacon and brown sugar)
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix together all ingredients of cupcake batter. Pour into lined muffin tin. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile make chocolate frosting and candied bacon. For frosting mix all ingredients together this should be thick consistency. For the candied bacon cook on medium heat in a skillet, when the bacon is cooked halfway sprinkle brown sugar on both sides. Cook until the bacon is done. Let cool.

Assemble your cupcakes and enjoy. First there was breakfast for dinner, now there is breakfast for dessert. (This recipe is based on the one found here.)

Kitchen Adventure: Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplants
3 cups cornflakes (crushed)
2.5 Tb Parsley Flakes
1 Tb Dried Basil
1 Tb dried Oregano
1/4 c flour
2 eggs
2 Tb milk
1 Tb water
3/4 c flour
Vegetable oil
Pasta Sauce (Separate recipe or use store bought)
Parmesan Cheese

Slice eggplant into desired thickness, sprinkle with salt, and leave to sweat in a colander for 30 min to 1 hour. In a skillet heat up 1/2 inch of oil. In a bowl combine crushed cornflakes, parsley, basil, oregano, and 1/4 c flour. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, milk, water. Put 3/4 c flour in a separate bowl. 

Coat eggplant in flour. Dredge in egg mixture. Then coat again in flour. Dredge in the egg mixture again, and then coat with cornflake mixture. Cook on each side about 2 minutes at a time in the oil (if you cook it hot and fast it won't end up super oily. 

Set aside on paper towel. Top with warm pasta sauce and sprinkle with parmesan. Enjoy!

Smells Like Home

Nothing will smell more like than making bread. The smell of yeast growing, dough rising, and the smell of freshly baked bread will always remind me of my dad. He is a gifted artisan bread maker. He was home for a short while and we spent some time in the kitchen working on our own recipe for a marble rye bread. It is memories is what makes life wonderful. We each worked on our kneading: me on the light, him on the dark. He would correct my handiwork, and help me better my baking skills. And I got to make a pretty good reuben!

Food Packaging: Time to Scream—Again

I have ogled some fun ice cream packaging before, but these more modern and clear designs have me with an aching sweet tooth. Even with the weather getting cooler I always crave big bowls of ice cream, sorbet, gelato...any frozen treat.

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Kitchen Adventure: Bierocks

Classic Bierocks

Filling:

1 small Cabbage (shredded)
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic
1 lb of ground meat
2T black pepper
salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

In a large skillet salt & pepper the meat. Brown meat. (If there is a lot of excess fat, drain the meat). Otherwise, add onion and garlic and cook until golden. Add cabbage and cook until limp. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool. Make dough.

Dough:

3/4 cup warm water (105 - 115^o)
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 T sugar
1 mashed potato
2 eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 cups of flour
1.5 T water

Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand 5 min until bubbly. Add salt, potato, 1 egg, and oil. Beat until well mixed. Add 1.5 cups of flour and beat for 2 min. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Until a stiff dough forms. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Let dough rest for 15 min. Split dough in half.

 Roll out dough to 1/4 inch. Cut into squares. Fill with 2-3 tablespoons. Fold up the sides to form a tight seal. Set bierocks on a greased sheet. In a bowl beat an egg and brush the beaten egg over the bierocks. Cook at 350° for 25-30 min. Until golden brown. If you want a harder crust spray oven with water when the rolls begin to brown. Serve Hot.

Alcohol Packaging: Fox Barrel

My husband's mom works at a liquor store, needless to say we see a lot of booze in this house. Tyler usually likes to buy me bottles that have labels that I might enjoy, and then he considers flavor next. I don't like beer, but I do enjoy a boozy cider. Fox Barrel is naturally fermented pear cider with other natural juices mixed in for a different flavor. Some still taste a little too much like beer, but the Pacific Pear was my favorite. The simple design incorporates negative shapes, metallic inks, and embossed labels to make these ciders really stand out.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

I love devouring documentaries on Netflix, but this one has me salivating. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a beautiful story of a world renowned sushi chef. He is over 85 years old and still works hard everyday and considers each piece of sushi his chance to improve himself. I just imagine if I had that kind of passion in my own work.

You become the best not just by being talented or have the desire to be the best.

"Even at my age, in my work... I haven't reached perfection."

Constantly striving for better work and perfection is what helps this world be filled with good design, ideas, and for Jiro—great sushi.  The message that is continuously repeated in this documentary was the choice of self-improvement. Hard work is not easy, but that is how you get to be the best at what you are passionate about. Each day and each project that I get to work on is just practice for my work to come, and I should do my best. Now I need to find some tasty sushi to savor.

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Kitchen Adventure: Umami Burger

I have been feeling blasé about my cooking for the last month or so, but last night I found the delicious flavor of an umami burger. A delicious savory burger that uses a surprising ingredient: fish sauce! Marinated burger, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, and Parmesan crisps; create a beautiful combination.

Burger (modified recipe from here)
1 lb of ground beef
1 Tb of fish sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 black pepper
1 clove of garlic minced

Marinate for 40 minutes. Grill or cook on stove 3 to 4 minute on each side on medium heat.
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Roasted Tomatoes (modified recipe from here)
4 Roma tomatoes
Olive Oil
Thyme

Preheat oven to 375° line a pan with parchment paper. Cut thick slices of tomato. Place on lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle thyme over tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn oven up to 400° and bake for 20 more minutes.

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Parmesan Crisp
Parmesan

While the oven is up to 400° for the tomatoes place a pan with a silpat and four 5 inch circles of Parmesan cheese. Bake for 8 minutes.

For the last part of this recipe after you cook the burgers (if you pan fried the burgers) cook the onions in the burger grease until soft. You can also toast the buns in the same pan or the grill.

Kitchen Adventures

 Homemade Baozi: recipe can be found here. I have been searching for the perfect recipe since I visited a Dim Sum in China Town in San Francisco 6 years ago. I finally found it thanks to pinterest. The website has a great tutorial video on how to fold the buns as well. I did not have the Korean Red Pepper Paste, I used some sriracha sauce, soy sauce, and honey to replace it.

Homemade Marshmallows: recipe found here. Airy and delicious.

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 medium-sized shallot or small onion, minced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 15 oz. pumpkin puree
• 3/4 c. chicken stock
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/3 c. parmesan cheese
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1/8 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 c. diced parsley
• Dash of cinnamon

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic; cook for 2-3 minutes, until shallots are tender.

2. Reduce heat to low and stir in the pumpkin puree. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Slowly add parmesan and stir until melted. Then simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the parsley. Serve over pasta.

This is more of a fall flavor dish, but I love to enjoy fall any time of the year.