Monday, May 11, 2020

Stuck at Home Breakfast

How many different recipes or inventive menu have you come up with during the self-quarantined "Stay Home", Be Safe, from COVID-19?
Between my family and I, I think we were cooking more at home than ever.  Not that we don't enjoy eating out, but ever since mid-March, a Lots of our Daily routines have changed and so has our daily menu.
Working at home made it challenging.  I need to to be able to stand up and work, and I don't have one of those ergonomic adjustable table at home, so I moved my workstations to my kitchen counter top.  I was sitting far too long in my home office desk.  Even though I make it a point to stand up and walk around the house, up and down the stairs intentionally.  My kitchen counter became my favorite place.  It's bright and I can work standing up or sitting down when I need to.
One of my old favorite and very dependable tested recipe is from Alton Brown's "Good Easts 2" - Cinnamon Rolls recipe in there.  I can make it every time, it stays the fluffy and tender the longest even after a day... that is if it got any left.
Interesting thing is that for whatever reason, this batch of dough didn't rise as expected.  I was very concerned that the yeast has gone bad??  The dough looked too plasticky for many hours.  Don't know what is going on but I went ahead and prepped it, and the result - a tasty breakfast.
I divided the dough into halves and made something else with the others.

 They don't look very live even after a day.
Bake them anyways.   Looks very promising.  They are rising.
 
 Ready for frosting.
 Very good!

Next one is the Souffle Hotcake made from Single Egg. (It was posted previously.)  That was really good.  It turned out great.  It was like after testing 3 other recipes?  This one was the best.

Then, I tried Korean Twist Donuts I saw on the YouTube.
I had just as much fun watching this lady giving instructions and making them.  I learned how to make the twist donuts quite good looking. 
 Hold one of the dough on the work surface and roll to twist the other end with the palm of the other hand.  Fold in half.  Press the ends together well and tuck.
Fry in Electric skillet with temp control is very convenient.  I like to use this skillet because it's without Teflon.  I tilted one end of the skillet because I did not have enough oil to cover the whole skillet and deep enough to fry properly.    See what happens when the ends of the donuts are not pinched tight.  The ends will unwind as they expand during frying.
Place in paper bag with sugar and cinnamon to coat the donuts.
 
 Not bad looking and tasty donuts.
I think I made the Green onion pancakes a lot.  It is so simple.  And I got enough Green onions in my garden to make some every 1-1/2 to 2 weeks on  warm days. They are posted under Taiwanese Green Onion Pancake blog.
MOCHI WAFFLE!
Mother's Day Banana Cake

Keep SAFE... Don't be Selfish... STAY HOME - whenever and IF you can and Enjoy Home Cookings.  
IF YOU JOG - DON'T EXPEL YOUR BREATH into the open air to contaminate - WEAR MASK!! 


Friday, April 03, 2020

Amy's Quick SUKIYAKI Dinner

There is always a room for a good learning on the How To's in making dinner quickly.  And I had a chance in watching my daughter-in-law make this delicious SUKIYAKI in a unique way.
This is the photo journal on how it was done.
Obviously, at Sunnyvale's COSTCO, they cater their cuts of beef slices for the clients who love Asian style dishes.







Lasagna style layers of NAPPA leaves, then, slices of SUKIYAKI beef.

 Cut them into halves to fit the NABE - the Rondeau pot will do.
In a separate pot, precook the sliced DAIKON with - about 1/4 C of rice together till tender.
 Layer with other family favorites - onions, carrots, shrimps, etc.
 It looks so beautiful all by itself, but got to cook them.
 After a while - ready for serving in a bowl.
 or family style.  "I-TA-DA-KI MASU!"  

Polly's Souffle Pancake for One

Finally came up with the right amount of ingredients to make the "Fluffy"  Souffle Pancake.  The mixed batter would hold up its shape when scooped onto the top of the griddle or hot pan without mold.

My formula makes 2 medium size souffle pancakes with: 1 egg
Ingredients:
1 large Egg, separated. 
Mix scant 1/4 C flour with 1/2 tsp B Powder, 2 tsp sugar, 3/4 Tbsp milk.
Mix into thick batter.  Cover. Set aside.  
Meringue:  Whip egg white into froth, add 1 tsp sugar, whip 1 min.
Add 1 more tsp sugar, increase speed to medium, beat 2 min.
Add last 1 tsp of sugar, beat at high until stiff peak form.
( The well beaten meringue's Tip should stand up tall. )
Mix 1/3 C into the batter and make the batter light.
Pour the batter into meringue. Fold to mix well.
Make sure to find a Top Hat like cover Lid, so the pancake would not get squashed down.
Over low heat, brush the pan with butter slightly.
Evenly pour a moundful of batter about 1/2 C onto the heated pan.
(1/2 C  ice-cream scoop with release mechanism will be helpful.  )
Cover.  Cook for 3 min. over low heat.
The cover helps build up the heat and steam to create a tender crumb.
You have the option to add more batter on the top, then, flip or flip as is.
Turn the pancake over gently. Cover and cook 2 min.
Serve with delicious whip cream.
This is my first try with this formula.  I need to do it again to make sure that it will turn out the same the next time.  The secret was in the batter.  The batter cannot be liquidy.  After watching a professional Korean Souffle Pancake maker, the batter or the cake mix is very thick.  But the first 1/3 C of the meringue helps it become fluffy.  The thick batter help the meringue mixture to hold it's shape during the cooking.  That is what I noticed.  So, have fun!







 I used a BBQ Grill cooking cover.
 3-1/2 min for this larger size pancake for one side.  Shorter period for the smaller cake - 2 min.
 Flip and cook 2-1/2 min more over low heat.  2 min for for the smaller cake.

 The texture is moist and soft.  Almost resembling Chiffon Cake.
Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Years Past's Favorite Food Adventures Photo Journal

They might not have been the successful recipes, but I had fun making them.  And I was right,  KOTETSU Ramen in Santa Clara has changed.  You will see the photos from 2014 and 2015 and my most recent ones-2019, the quality of the food is totally different.

https://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2019/12/bad-ramen-experience-at-kotetsu-santa.html   KOTETSU Ramen 2019 
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kf1XPNaPJUt2Cr3Y9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/rgw8BU7hgVnxfUzN6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eGLEUSbfXxJ91TFZ6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iMEDsYqdnFxsUVyK7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4Qa83BC6EVtFmQNu5                     HoneyMead
https://photos.app.goo.gl/D89i8JYa1hTXZwhu9                        Peach HoneyMead
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gwpWspuSUD2VYNc57                    Santa Clara KOTETSU RAMEN Back in  2015

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wTDU3hoo24zsnmJ26                       Canneles de  Polly 2015 1

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AF6HDRFBaSSA4eUB6                    KABOCHA CHIFFON CAKE 2015
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZXrjqubZcwQBzWnJ7                       KABOCHA DIFFON CAKE JULY
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6jseC88qx2bLKjcu9                           MAKING CHINESE ZONG TZE
https://photos.app.goo.gl/egrqphJkLnQWzvKo9                        Lotus 2015
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LzUZHjJT4FLLnm82A                      Banana Bacon Cake
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KapEr6hfn6Yf4nJg9                           Lotus-2015 Pink Lips
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QJms4r59jGwVdAkP9                       Beef Tajine
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ESBed9MRSpakh1Qf9                       Homemade Avocado Ice Cream
https://photos.app.goo.gl/w6e8Z3BS2hukaZnz5                         Pickling Red Bell Peppers
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XFf8dYMHW8Hqkq297                    POLLY'S MAPO TOFU I
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fh85SnveUTY5R9UCA                     KOROKKE
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TU73wA6VKZHnoFRc6                   Mozarella filled KORO'KE
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7GtmHLRKGU2gmSTN6                 TAIYAKI
https://photos.app.goo.gl/bdQigKNCPg75DVvj8                      TAKOYAKI
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YYrfogkWTFuHBRoz6                     My Favorite Cinnamon Rolls #2
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DMKi669YP6kPRRGg9                   Homemade Pizza with Muxhrooms, Basils, Honey
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hnkEfHjqX44TWbYLA                    Lemon Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze and Candied Lemon Wannabe
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8YnhrhKB6J14S8QL9                      KOTETSU RAMEN 2014
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PGrCYRWSiqhnrUYA8                    Making Annual Zong-Ze

MOCHI POTATO PATTIES Testing

I found this recipe in YouTube, and I tried it.
It turned out okay, but tasted otherwise. I didn't care much for it with cheese filling.  I rather make the potato KOROK'KE than with MOCHI mixed in it.  It did not give much to the texture.  Unless more MOCHI flour is added to give more chewy texture.  The cheese filling was just not satisfying the mellow taste of potato.
 MOCHI flour mixed with mashed potatoes.
 Mix them together with water, salt.
 Knead them together and form into balls.
Form into disc and indent to fill with shredded cheese.  I think filling it with sausage or spicy sort of filling will be much tastier than cheese.

 Flatten and pan fry till golden brown on each side.