Magic Bullet vs Nutri Bullet

During holiday season 2014, I came across a bargain opportunity to test out Magic Bullet vs Nutri Bullet.  They were both on sale at a great price at COSTCO.
I wanted to keep both, but that would add a lot of containers to my kitchen cabinet that I don't really have spaces for. 

The best way to decide is to test them out.   Blend the same ingredients and see which one is the winner.
This is Magic Bullet, the original size.   One thing I noticed with Magic Bullet brand's blade design that other blenders and mixers miss is the low profile of the blades to the bottom of the container and rather longer blades than other brands that make it super effective in what it does.   Technically, I am sure you can find its specification at their website, but that is my naked eye observation.

 So, how did it fare out?   Both are GREAT!

 Both Bullet did the job of mixing the drinks effectively and chopped and mixed and blended silky smooth.

I really like the extra containers of shakers and dispenser tops and small size container to store food.   If I had not purchased any other food processors in my kitchen, I would have selected the Magic Bullet.  I kept the Nutri Bullet, the larger size for its power.  Nutri Bullet for $68?  It's a great bargain to start a Healthy 2015.
Compare the drink blended by regular mixer (see below), I love the texture of the drink made by Magic Bullet or by Nutri Bullet.

 

 

Compare the top by Nutri Bullet and bottom by regular blender.  Mouth feel is quite different.

2014 - Rockdavinci Cooking Year in Photo

Wish everyone a Great Year.  Eat Healthy ! Be Healthy !  Be Happy!

Stir Fried Chard

If you have not tried this with CHARD, try it, you will like it.
Ingredients:
Bunch of Fresh CHARD
1 large garlic cloves cut into halves
2 TBsp EVOO
Salt to taste

Wash the CHARD and chop roughly - like into halves.
Heat up wok and add EVOO.
When the oil starts to shimmer, add garlic cloves.   15 seconds.
Add washed and strained CHARD.

 Stir fry over medium heat. Cover with lid for 4 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Serve.
Great with fresh bowl of rice, etc.

Nutritional value of Chard is great!

Testing Fluffy YOMOGI (Mugwort) MOCHI Pancake

I thought I would test to see how it would be by adding eggs to the MOCHI pancake; additionaly, add a tablespoon of YOMOGI powder (Mugwort) to make it healthier breakfast.   The pancake turned out fluffy like a marshmallow, but I didn't care for ithe mouthfeel.  I like the taste of the YOMOGI, but it did not go well with egg flavor.   The basic recipe is the winner, unless you are making the MOCHI Cake.
http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2009/06/japanese-mochi-cake.html

Updates on Drying FUYU KAKI

After two weeks, FUYU KAKI have shrunk considerably.    After giving away over 70 FUYU KAKI, I had more.  The tree produced a good amount this year.  Birds had some to enjoy and I still had plenty to enjoy and share.  While it is tasty to eat them fresh, when you have too much of them, you need to be creative to store them away.  These groups of FUYU KAKI are drying up much faster than the stringent HACHIYA persimmons, and of course, FUYU KAKI is much smaller and has less water content.  My mother mentioned something about eating them with other groups of herbs for health medicinal use.   These have been massaged a bit per my friend's suggestion to distribute the sugar or something like that.  And pretty soon, I will take them down and press down with something heavy to make them flat.  I hope they will turn out all right.        

 Gently massage the KAKI with fingers without breaking the hardened outer layer.

 

Banana Mochi Pancake

I tried this Mochi pancake with banana.   It turned out really good.

Ingredients:  

3/4 C sweet glutinous rice flour

2 TBsp sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 piece of banana sliced thinly

Some Extra Virgin LIGHT Olive Oil for frying and 1 TBsp of butter

About 1/4 C warm water

Mix everything together in a bowl. 

Heat a skillet w/lid with 1 TBsp of EVOO and butter.  

Spread the Mochi batter, top with thinly sliced banana on top.   Cover the skillet with lid.  Cook over low heat with lid on.  Move the skillet around to assure even browning of the bottom.  After 5 to 7 minutes put butter slices on top.   Flip it over and cook until banana is browned.  

Serve while warm.  Becareful though not to place hot Mochi pancake slice into mouth.  

Polly's Lazy Saturday Ponchik

 

This is a small batch Ponchik recipe I came up with as I don't have much time in the morning before going to work.  So I came up with this slow rise batch.  I want to use it when I am ready.   

Since the temperature of the kitchen is much lower now tha it is Fall, instead of rising in the refrigerator, I left it out on the kitchen counter.  

Two days before, mix the following in mixer for 20 minutes.  

Ingredients:

1-1/4 C pre-shifted flour:  preshift flour with1-1/8 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt.   Some extra flour.

Add 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

2 TBsp Sour cream

1 TBsp Sugar

2 TBsp Evaporated milk

1 Egg, large

A bag filled with powder sugar, about 1 cup.

Two days before on Thursday evening, for Saturday frying, Beat mixture with paddle for 8 minutes. 

Change to dough hook.  Scrape the side of the mixing bowl. in between 12 more minutes or so of kneading, add some more flour - 2 TBsp to 1/4 C of flour.  Mix for 12 minutes more.   

Grease a bowl with a lid.  Transfer dough into the bowl after forming it into a ball with floured hands. Cover with lid and let it rise slowly.   Open the lid a night after if the lid is shut closed.  If your kitchen is above 65'F, leave the bowl in the refrigerator.

When ready divide the dough into four.  

Round it and roll it out. Trim the edge  of rolled out dough.   Place on a floured tray and covered to rise.   

When the dough puffed up a bit, they ready for frying.  

 Over medium low heat, heat oil for frying.  Slide the dough into heated oil and start bobbing the dough with spoon to help rising.   Brown both sides.  

Transfer to the bag with powder sugar and coat the Ponchiks as much as you like or  fill the center with cream or custard , Bavarian cream, jams, preserves, and sprinkle with powder sugar.

I really like this one. The crumbs are really tender. 

Hooked on KABOCHA / Japanese Pumpkin

I never thought I get hooked on a pumpkin.   Not just any pumpkin, but this KABOCHA.

Very luckily they come up every year in my brother's garden.  It is firm, sweet, and addicting... I think.  Some of the buffet serves them as Tempura.  And tonight I just fried it along with my spiral cut potatoes.   Just toss the fried potatoes in Hungarian Hot Paprika and Kosher salt.  It's delicious!