Zucchini Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my photo journal of my adventure in Zucchini pecan cake with cream cheese frosting.

                                                                                                                        Butter parchment paper

 Coarse grind Pecans.  Reserve some for topping.

 Do not overbake.  

 

Prepare frosting while baking or while the cake is cooling.   Cream cheese, milk and powder sugar.   I added vanilla paste for extra flavor.

Polly's first Potato Gnocchi

I don't know what it is about a movie with a child, mother, and kitchen.  The look of satisfaction on the child's face, and glance of mother making the food or just merely a smile of joy and satisfaction of a child before a food make a great impression upon me.   I watched the movie UNBROKEN just recently.   I saw the main character as a boy watching his mother making the gnocchi.  Flour and egg, and smile of mother and child when their eyes met.  Wow!  that must be some great food!  the main character described his mother's Potato Gnocchi as the "pillow soft".

It impressed me so much that I had to try.  And to my own surprise, it turned out great and it is pillow soft.
Here is my photo journal of it. 
The recipe is found at https://www.yahoo.com/food/how-to-make-potato-gnocchi-111384959639.html
 It Serves 6.

For the gnocchi:

2 Idaho potatoes --- I used three medium size Golden Potatoes because that's what I had
1-1/2 to 2 cups organic all-purpose flour
3 large organic eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (Choose your favorite: oregano, parsley, basil)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs

Tools:

A cake tester (optional)
Food mill or potato ricer or masher
Stand mixer with paddle attachment (optional)
Knife
Cookie sheet
Large saucepan
Pasta pot with strainer

My modification:  Scrub potatoes clean.  Then, poke some holes in each.  Place potatoes in a pot with cold water.  Bring water to boil, then, bring the heat to low to “simmer” with lid on.  Test with fork for doneness after 40 min., etc.  Remove from the pot.  Peel potatoes while they are still warm.   Let the potatoes cool.

Pull apart potatoes into large chunks to fit into Ricer.  Press the potatoes through.

Use metal blade in the Food Processor.  Place flour and potatoes into food processor.  Add beaten eggs, olive oil, fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs.  Pulse mix until everything is well mixed.

Transfer to floured work surface.

Knead gently and divide.

Roll into 1 inch diameter snakes.  Cut with Pizza cutter 1 inch wide.  Place on a floured tray to dry a bit before cooking.  Or place on a toaster oven tray and insert in a plastic bag to freeze.  Then, remove the tray.

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.  Prepare the sauce while waiting for the water to come to boil. Cook gnocchi.  Gnocchi would sink to the bottom of the pot..  Gently stir to help unstick from the bottom of the pot, then, they float up.  Cook one more minute.  Scoop them out onto a strainer.

Serve with sauce.

 I used potato ricer to process the cooked potato.  As it is already pretty late in the evening, I decided to use the technology - my food processor.

 I used the metal blade to cut the dough rather than then short blade for the dough making.

 Didn't have all the fresh herbs the recipe called for, but I had parsley and thyme.

 I wanted to rest these cut gnocchi for a while, but I did not have the time, so I cooked it not too shortly after when a pot of water came to boil.  I used my cooking basket.

 I was concern that moist dough would fall apart in the boiling water.  On the contrary, they hold the form.

 

Didn't have time to make the homemade sauce, so I used organic sauce from a jar.  Next time, I will be sure to make from scratch.

Yum!  they are "pillow soft"!

LEGO CUB SCOUT CAKE for Blue and Gold Celebration

It's that time of the year for each Cub Scout Pack to celebrate birthday of Cub Scouting at the Blue and Gold dinner.   My grandson was so happy that he has a chance to bake a special cake.  And he picked LEGO CUB SCOUT as a model.  This is how it turned out.

Chocolate chips for hair, he wanted.  

Candied Kumquats

This is a good year for my dwarf kumquat tree.  Abundance of gold jewels covered it like no other year.   And I was very patient not to pick them until the Chinese New Year arrived.   But there are so much of them.  I checked out the ways to make candied winter melon on the YouTube and here it is - the solution for kumquats.  Make them into candied kumquats.

Taking a Break from the Kitchen

I found the beautiful wind chime sculpture quite inspirational and relaxing.

Making Chinese New Year MOCHI Cake

Happy Chinese / Lunar New Year!!

Every country has a different way of celebrating their New Year especially when it comes to food.   We learned while we lived in South Viet-Nam that friends and neighbors would purchase New Year cake as gifts during their "BAI NIEN" - meaning, we visit friends, family, neighbors to 'wish them a good year'.  Chinese New Year cake is made of glutinous rice flour - same as 'MOCHI' flour, brown sugar (they call it "red" sugar), red dates, or red beans, pork fats.   I never got used to the tiny bits of pork fats in them.  I remember poking them out with my fingers.  Anyways, thanks to modernization and availability of the glutinous rice powder at local Asian market, I can control what goes in it.  I wished the glutinous rice powder is Organic, Non-GMO, unbleached.  Maybe they will catch on in the next few years.

 

 

Equipment:
1.  A large Steamer that can hold water at least for 2 hours of steaming at high heat or check the post often without risking the loss of steam power and resulting in 'raw' cake << bad luck! @#~!
2.  Large Flour Sack Cloth
3.  Several removable bottom cake molds
     Spring load cake molds are easy for this purpose too.
4.  Cut Parchment paper to cover bottom and sides
5.  Brush Olive oil on parchment paper.  I am not making last year's mistake.  So, be sure to oil parchment paper even though you see the EVOO accumulating at the bottom.  These puddle will distribute itself all around once the cake mixture is added and during steaming.  This EVOO will assure easy removal of very sticky rice cake from the cake mold and allow you to remove it off the cake afterwards.
6.  Saran wraps
7.  a Couple of Baking sheets
8.  Large mixing bowls
9.  Measuring cup
10.  Kettle - Keep hot boiling water handy at all times.  You may need to refill your Steamer pot and you want the additional water to be boiling water
11.  Large Spatula

Basic Ingredients are easy, and I followed one of the cooking book that my mother gave me many years ago.
6 Cups of Glutinous Rice Powder
2 Cups Hot Water
2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar for better taste
Dissolve Sugar in Hot water first.  Then, add glutinous rice powder.  Mix well till smooth.  Add any optional goodies.

Optional addition:
Rehydrated Chinese Red Dates << dried JUJUBE fruits  or why not try regular dates?
Cooked Red Beans
Mashed sweetened Taro (my favorites)
Cassia Flower Jam
Walnuts

Bring water of steamer to a full rolling boil.    Fill each cake mold with batter.  Place them strategically in the steamer pan.  If your steamer is made of aluminum - TIP:  Cover the lid with a large sheet of Sack Flour cloth (can be found at Walmart at pots and pan mitten section, usually) to keep evaporation moisture from dripping into cake.   Steam for 2 hours.  DO NOT Open the lid, preferably.
Depending on the sizes of the cake, at 1 hour 20 minutes, quickly open the lid and insert a tester into the cake to check for doneness and immediately close the lid.   The dough should be translucent.
Turn off heat.  Wait for 10 minutes without opening the lid.
Spread two sheets of Saran Wrap on a baking sheet.
Invert the cake over the wrap.  Remove the parchment paper.
Leave to cool.      or SERVE when warm.
Note:  The following process will take several hours.
Skin should form around the cake.  No longer quite sticking to the fingers.
Flip it over and dry.   Slice and serve.
Wrap and Store in Refrigerator.  
Slice and pan fry them and serve or each French Toast style - meaning, beat an egg, and dip the cake slice in it and pan fry it.

 

Red Dates with Cassia Flower Jam

 

Red Beans with Cassia Flower Jam

Wish everyone a Great Prosperous Happy New Year, to Health, and many Blessings!