Adventure in Fluffy HOTTO Cakey #2

HOTTO CAKEY is one of my childhood favorite.  I thought how about adding ground flaxseed meal and Ceylon Cinnamon, etc.  It turned out great.  Japanese pancake is much higher in volume and cake like than the American ones.  The goal is to let the batter rise at least 1/2 inch or more in height.  

My ingredients today are:

1 large organic egg beaten with 2 TBsp of organic cane sugar till pale yellow with fork in a measuring cup.  (You can use the mixer.)

Add 1/2 tsp Ceylon Cinnamon

1 tsp Pure Vanilla

1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed meal

1 /2 TBsp Non- GMO pure Avocado Oil

Add - Shift 1/2 C Cake flour with 3/4 tsp non-GMO Aluminum-free Baking Powder and 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

Mix in and stir a bit and add:   1 TBsp Sour Cream and 1 tsp Fatfree Fairlife milk.

Gently mix to form thick batter.

Over medium low heat, 'Heat' up the griddle and 'wipe' butter on. 

Drop the batter on.    

I was able to make three Hot Cake.

Cover and turn to low heat and 'bake' over the stove till nicely fluffed.  

2-1/2 min depending on your gas stove. 

Atop a tiny bit of butter square on each cake before you flip over.

Cover and bake over stove for a minute.

Serve with your favorite toppings.

I got busy in my office and I almost forgot and turned it over a bit late.  I noticed the texture is a bit dry but it is a success in taste and fluff I wanted. 

iPhone 4S Revived from Black Screen...I't's Alive, but.. dead again

This is not about food, but about fixing my iPhone 4S.  It's an old phone, and it is still in a very good condition.   I hate to dispose it or traded in, but about three weeks ago, my phone won't turn back on after I powered it off.  I could not figure out why, but I assumed that it's time to replace the battery.   I have been using my iPhone 4S as home security camera using the freeware "Alfred".   That morning, the iPhone was bugging me to update to IOS 10. Since I already delayed it for several weeks, may be I should update it before I update Alfred, I thought.  Yet, I was thinking ... what for?  I am not really using this phone but as a camera to monitor my front door, so I can use iPhone 6 to monitor my home from office.  It has been working very well, except that morning when I decided to update to IOS10, then, update Alfred, it happened.  The screen turned very dim first, then, the screen somehow is dead.  It would not respond to my swiping or to the depressing of the home button.  So, I thought it needs to be rebooted.  When I powered it off, the phone did not come alive.  It stopped responding totally.   Out of desperation, I went to YouTube to find solution.   Luckily there were many information related to how to fix iPhone 4S when the battery stops charging.  And I also found out that there is battery replacement kit and learnt that there are two screws at the bottom of iPhone 4S on either side of the power connector.  Sad thing is, after I got my first shipment of the replacement battery, the phone did not charge nor revive.   I followed every instruction there is to reset, to do this, do that.   But nothing.  I decided to return the first battery and got another.  While waiting for the second new battery to arrive, I reviewed many iPhone 4S battery related postings on the YouTube.  When the new battery arrived on Tuesday, I was so glee to install it.  Charged it and pressed the power button.  Alas!! no sign of anything.  Not even the normal vibe... nor the apple logo.   REALLY?  maybe it's the Charge Cable... Today, out of desperation, I even purchased the new charge cable for iPhone 4S.  Did it work?   Did it start to charge?  Did iPhone power up?   NOPE!  dead as a door nail.   As I was almost convinced that may be the power management IC got toasted or some other costly issue, I decided to go over some more YouTube video on the How to Fix iPhone 4S that won't power up or with black screen.  Then, I came across one of many video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JppmamwqEE   under the title "ALL IPHONE 4,5,6, PLUS: How to Fix a Blank Display, Black Screen, Wont Turn on?"  There was no clear indication out of the many solution presented that would have worked, but as I listened carefully, one of the solution got my attention, and I tried it and it worked!!   It is similar to how to do the RESET by holding down the power button at the same time with Home button, but this one is different.  The instruction was to Hold Power Button 1st, then, Count 1, 2, 3, then, Hold down HOME Button.  Release when the APPLE logo appears.
Da, DAAaa!  in a few seconds more, my iPhone displayed my home screen!!  SAVED!!!
So, it is as good as new!
Hope this would help some people who held onto their good iPhone 4S and end up with similar issue.  We can continue baking and take good pictures, etc.

 

. . .  Spoke too soon... I am so sad.  The next day, I thought I better do a backup of the iPhone 4s, I clicked on it to see how it is doing.  Whaaat!!! what happened??it's dead!!   Then, when I touched the home button, low battery icon showed up.  I quickly reconnected it to the phone charger.  Just hoping and hoping that it would become alive again.   Nope!! No power.   No matter what I do, it would not power up.

Sunday, October 1, today's test is to connect it to the PC.  PC seems to know that a USB device is connected.

iTunes seems to know "a phone" is connected, but when I click on File\Device, it would not list the phone.

It tells me that the connected phone is in the Restore mode, so it asks to do to find Software Update and to do Restore... everything seemed all right.  It seems that it knows the iPhone 4S is connected.  Then, while it is restoring the phone to ios 9.3.5 and verifying the phone, and waiting for the phone, it stops with "... Unknown error occurred (24)..."

Anyone know what's going on?

Lemon Zucchini Cake

This Lemon Zucchini Cake became one of my favorite cake recipe with Zucchini.

Ingredients:

1-1/4 C white sugar

3 Large Egges

2 tsp lemon zest or 2 TBsp Orange Zest

1/4 C Fresh Lemon Juice

2 C AP Flour

2 tsp Baking Power - Non-GMO, No aluminum

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Kosher Salt

3/4 C Non-GMO Avocado Oil

1-3/4 C or 1 C Grated Zucchini.  Squeeze as much liquid out of  Zucchini after grating.  

1 C optional nuts of your choice

1/3 C powder sugar for decoration, but I didn't use it

 Method:

Prepare two loaf bread molds or 9x13" baking pan.  Either oil it and sprinkle with flour or cut in parchment paper.

Shift Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt together.  Set aside.

Beat eggs with Sugar till pale yellow.

Preheat oven 400'F

Add  Zest and Lemon Juice, then top with flour mixture.  Mix gently till flour is mixed in, then, add oil and grated squeezed Zucchini.  Mix gently.

Pour batter into molds.

Depending on your large gas oven - Bake for 20 min at 400'F. then, 25 min at 375'F, but check every 20 min and test with tester to adjust temp.

Cut and use the neck part where firm flesh is.

 

Loosen the cake from sides and reverted onto a plate.

It tastes really good.

Fresh Corn Juice or Soup or Stock?

While doing some health and food research in YouTube, I found information on the benefit of corn silk stock. My first batch using my home grown corn and corn silk was exciting.  As it is home grown without any pesticides.  This time I tried with store bought corn.  I am very hesitant about using the non-organic corn as normal corns are heavily sprayed with pesticides.   And I can smell them in the corns right at grocer's shelves.  But this is how I did it to assure clean stock produced from store bought corns.  

3 fresh corns with husk. 

Remove husks layers, and carefully retain corn silk in a bowl with strainer with cleaned corns.

Add water and rinse, strain. Repeat twice.  Then soak with filtered water.  Rinse after 5 minutes, then, soak again in filtered water for 10 minutes.

Fill a pot just enough to cover corns (with silk in the pot).  Cover the pot.  Bring to boil.  

Cook over high heat for three minutes. 

Do not open the lid.

Turn off the heat.

Wait 10 minutes.

Serve.

Strain the stock and enjoy it hot or cold.

Stir Fried Cactus Salad

After my mother's home cook testing with nopales, I thought I would give it a try myself.   She made them into a very tasty refreshing salad.

Wearing thick gloves, Fresh cut young nopales.  

Use a blow torch to burn off the fine thorns or use a garden hand shovel and scrape off thorns.   

Use kitchen peeler to scrape off all the thorn eyes left behind. 

Rinse well. 

Cut into slices. 

Heat 1-1/2 tablespoon of avocado oil in a sauté pan.  Medium high heat. 

Add nopales slices.  Stir fry for a minute...

Lower to medium heat.

Stir fry for 1-1/2 min to 2 min.  

Remove. 

You have a choice to fresh squeeze a lemon and add to it or eat it as is. What taste do you expect!?  Ready?! Stir fried nopales tasty sour to tangy all by itself.   I love it just the way it is. Eat it straight out of refrigerator. Cool salad.  

Scones with Chocolate Chip, Flaxseed Meal, Poppy Seeds

You can make these scones 45 minutes before you leave for work and share with your co-workers.  

 

This recipe contains:

6 oz organic Flour Shifted with 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp kosher salt.  Shift well.  

Add and mix 4 oz organic sugar,

1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds,

1 Tbsp ground Flaxseed Meal.  

Preheat oven to 425'F.   

Add 4 oz Creme de Fraiche, 1/4 C organic milk plus some more, and organic dark chocolate chips.  

Gently - Blend well with spatula.    Then, add handful of organic dark chocolate chips or chopped dark European chocolate pistoles.

The dough is softer than the cookie dough.   If too moist, add 1+ tablespoon of flour. 

Transfer the dough to the baking pan lined with parchment paper. 

Form the dough into disc. 

Apply egg wash - 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp milk. 

Baking time and temperature depends on your oven's BTU.  I am using an electric countertop convection oven.  However, it seems this unit's convection is questionable.  But check at 20 min. Then, lower the temperature to 375'F and bake 12+ more minutes.  Bake till the tester comes out quite dry. 

The final scone should be moist like cake and beautifully browned at the top. 

 The crumbs are very tender

Cilantro Nectarine Yogurt Ice Cream

Is it crazy or what? I saw this Lemon Yogurt Ice Cream posting in the Yummly.  I looked in my refrigerator and thought - Why not?  and I tried it.  It's turned out refreshing and tasty without the heavy cream.   You might say, it's more like a smoothie, but to each its own.
Handful of cleaned Organic Cilantro - stems and leaf and all, except some at the bottom of the stems.
1 C Organic Yogurt
Some Ice - 1 C
1 home grown peach
1/4 Water
Process in your favorite blender.  Mine is NutriBullet Pro.

Don't forget to remove the ring and clean under.  Or you will be beating some extra !#$%  that you don't want.

Scones with Chocolate Chip, Flaxseed Meal, Poppy Seeds, and Organic Kale(powder)

This scone's crumbs turned out like cake.   Some people like scones that are like dry biscuit/a day old bread.   But unless I over bake it - sometimes I do, this ones should be moist and tender.   

Ingredients:

6 oz organic Flour Shifted with 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp kosher salt.  Shift well.  
Add and mix 4 oz organic sugar, 
1 Tbsp Organic Kale Powder, 
1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds, 
1 Tbsp ground Flaxseed Meal.  
Preheat oven to 425'F.   

Add 4 oz sour cream, 1/4 C organic milk and gently - mix well.  Then, add organic dark chocolate chips.   The dough should be quite soft but holds its shape - not runny.   If the dough is too moist, add 1 tablespoon of flour. 

Transfer the dough to the baking pan lined with parchment paper. 

Form the dough into a round disc. 

Apply egg wash - 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp milk.  

Depending on the oven you have - I am baking it in the countertop electric convection oven.  Check at 20 min. And change the temperature to 375'F and bake 12 minutes more or till the tester come out quite dry. 

The final scone should be moist like cake and beautifully browned at the top. 

Green Onion Pancake Adventure

This summer, my mother and I spent a few weekends checking out recipes and How To's of making the Green Onion Pancake.  This is one of our favorite dish that we have eaten many many times served with rice porridge.   As plain as it may sound, we love it.  However, when I was a child, I would poke out every green onions out of the pancake.  I like the flavor, but when I was a kid, the green onions tasted like soap.  So, don't be surprised, if your children feel the same.  Young children's taste buds are just not quite the same as the adults'.
We watched YouTube instructions on the Green Onion Pancakes for the tips of this and that... not that we don't know how to make it, but I think there is something to do with the Flour in Asia and in America.  They just turn out differently.
So, this time, the right combo was:
DOUGH:
2 Cup Pastry Flour
1 Cup AP Flour
1/3 C Hot water
2/3 C water
1 tsp Kosher Sea Salt

Bunch of Green Onions and as much as you would like.
I like to put chopped Cilantro and or chopped curly Parsley.   They are great addition to the traditional green onion.
Now-a-days, I like to add extra nutritional ingredients whenever I am cooking with "Flour".  Empty flour carb is not that fun anymore.

GREEN ONIONS mix:
Chopped Green Onions  - 2 Cups
1 Cup chopped curly Parsley or Cilantro
All veges should be washed.  I saw my mother wiping the green onions stalk dry...  So I did the same.
2 Tbsp Avocado Cooking oil (non-GMO) purchased at COSTCO
Salt
3 Tbsp flour

Mix flour together with Salt.  Add 1/3 C Hot water and mix with your utensil - I used chopped stick.
Then, add 2/3 C Water slowly to form a nice soft dough.
Does not need to form into a perfect dough.
Place in a oiled bag.  Set aside in refrigerator for 30 min to 1 hour or more.

Prepare Green Onions:
Place flour and Salt in a heat proof bowl and mix.   Set aside.
In a small fry pan, Add 2 TBsp cooking oil, heat it up over medium heat.  Add HALF of chopped green onion.  Stir to coat all green onions with heated oil.   Add curley parsely.  Cook 30 sec. 
Pour the hot green onion mixture into the bowl with flour mixture.

Remove the rested dough onto a clean work surface smeared with some oil.
Roll out the dough thin.  likely be over 13x9 or more  ... I didn't measure.
Smear a tablespoon of oil over the dough.    Sprinkle with some sea salt.
Evenly smear all green onion mixture with flour and oil all around - corner to corner
Top with fresh green onion and anything else you like that would cook quickly.  NOTE:  This method is only my preference.  You can do any other way you learned.
Roll in the dough with green onion from the widest side into a long rope.
Tip:  As you roll and tuck, pull on the dough a bit to stretch the dough.

Slice into equal length.

Press down with the palm of your hand.

Roll it out.
Heat the fry pan with very very little oil or smear the oil over it.

Cook it over low heat with cover.

Turn the pancake every 1 minute or so.

Cook it till nicely browned.

These bunch looks like very thick pancake in the pictures, but that's because I ran out of the pastry flour.
You really don't want to use flour with high protein/gluten.  Only if Raley stop doing this YOYO shelving of the Bob's Red Mill flour group, I would have been able to consistently shop there.  But last week when I went, Raley don't carry it any more.  Who wants to cook with whole wheat pastry flour anyways.  Yak!  well, I don't like 'whole wheat'.
So, have fun testing recipes with your family!!!