decorating cupcakes... I used someone's red velvet cake recipe and choco recipe but can't remember where I got them :)


 :) they soooo cute!

Vegetarian Lo Mein

1 package of lo mein egg noodles about 10 oz. (the ones I used were already pre cooked i just soaked them in warm water for a bit.
about 1/2 cup winter peas (in the pods)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup carrots sliced thin
1 red bell pepper
2 cups spinach
1 tsp olive oil

for the sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon shaved ginger
2 1/2  teaspoons sugar
1 tsp teaspoon Sriracha, or more if you want it spicier

In a bowl, mix together sesame oil, soy sauce, shaved ginger, sugar, and Sriracha, set aside for later. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium  heat. Add mushrooms, pepper and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, , about 2 min. Stir in winter peas and spinach for about  2 to 3 min. Stir in noodles and sauce mixture mix together and serve! :D yummay!

Mountain Trail Mix

So I am going on a mission trip to South Dakota and then a trip to Maine soon, and wanted to bring a healthy snack along! Couple minutes of work = Mountain Trail Mix :P You can use salted nuts but don't add salt if you do :)

1 cup pumpkin seeds (shelled)
1 cup pepitas
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup soy nuts
3/4 cup cashews
1 cup almonds
1 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup shaved coconut
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil (melt in microwave first)
salt (to taste)

  optional
raisins 1 cup
peanuts 1/2 cup


Instructions

Mix all together :P Then eat! makes about  9 or 10 cups :)

Omurice!

This is one of my favorite quick meal recipes, and it's so easy! This dish is called Omurice. Omurice is a contemporary Asian dish consisting of an omelette made with rice. Omurice is said to have originated from Japan.

Ingredients

2 or 3 eggs depending how thick you want the shell
Cooked white or brown rice about 1/2 cup
salt - just a pinch
Ketchup - to taste

optional -----

onions
peppers
mushrooms
pepper
etc.


instructions use an omelette pan or a medium size frying pan
mix the eggs and salt together and pour into the hot oiled pan. flip and fry till cooked through. put rice on one half and fold over. Top with ketchup. Enjoy!

Wonton Pockets

It's Friday so I created a new vegetarian dish! #vegetarianfridays. I had wonton wrappers but wanted to make something similar to a burrito or taco... This is similar but only a little :P   Also if you don't follow me on twitter, sometimes I post little mini meal ideas. https://twitter.com/Galley_Cooking   :) So here is the recipe and a picture. (note... This recipe is better used as a side dish with like chilli or taco soup)



Ingredients
1 1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 cup cooked black beans... or canned (make sure to drain those and rinse them off)
1 cup sauteed peppers and onions (I sauteed mine in garlic olive oil and salt)
about 30 wonton wrappers depending on how many people you want to feed

Instructions

 Mix together rice, beans, and veggies.  swipe all four edges of the wonton wrappers with water and put a teaspoon or 1 and 1/2 tsp of the rice mixture in  in the middle pulling together the edges of the wrapper into a triangular shape pressing the edges firmly to close. Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat on stove. then fry the wontons until golden brown on both sides.serve with your favorite salsa!  voila'!

Japchae Salad

So I had some friends over and made this.... It's a Korean side dish made with sweet potato noodles. It was spicy and yummy! :D


1 half package sweet potato noodles cooked
about 5 cups sauteed spinach
1 and 1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 tbsp red curry paste
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
1 1/2 tsp red chile flakes
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sea salt
 optional-
shiitake mushrooms (sauteed)
toasted sesame seeds
garlic (just a pinch)
onion (sauteed)

 INSTRUCTIONS

Mix together paste, peanuts, chile flakes, oil, soy sauce, and salt and pour over the other ingredients.... toss and serve at room temp :)

things to go with
Miso soup (recipe coming soon) or any light soup without noodles
broiled fish
any meat like grilled beef or chicken

Pixar Ratatouille

Yield: Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

1 onion, processed
2 garlic cloves,crushed
2cups tomato puree mixed with 1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I used thai red pepper flakes)
2 tablespoons olive oil,
1 small eggplant
2 small or 1 large zucchini
2 small or 1 large yellow squash
1 long red bell pepper and 1 long yellow pepper
Goat Cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees
Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, one tablespoon of the olive oil, and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.
Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. Trim the top of the red pepper and remove the core.
On an adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices.
On top of the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a little of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You might have some left.
Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them with salt and pepper. bake for 20-30min Sprinkle goat cheese on top and serve as a side dish :)

Croquembouche "crunch in mouth" cream puff dessert

I made this for my youth group's dessert social. It was really good and the spun sugar worked great on the 3rd try! ;P It was also easier than I expected it to be!

 

 Ingredients

FOR PUFFS

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 7 large eggs

FOR CREAM

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate

FOR CARAMEL

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. To make the puffs: In a medium pan, melt butter in 1 1/2 cups water with salt and sugar. Remove pan from heat, and add flour. Return pan to heat and, using a wooden spoon, beat vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes. (A film should form on the bottom of the pan.) Cool slightly, and add 6 eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously.
   
2. Make a glaze by beating the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water, and set aside. Using a pastry bag fitted with a coupler and a 1/2-inch-wide plain tip, pipe out mounds that are 1 inch high and 3/4 inch in diameter on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg glaze, and smooth the tops. Bake until puffed and golden, 15 - 20 minutes. Cool 
   
3. Make the pastry cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, gradually adding sugar, until mixture is thick and pale yellow. Beat in flour. Scald milk, and add in dribbles to egg mixture, reserving 1/2 cup. Place mixture in a clean pot over high heat, and stir vigorously until mixture boils and thickens. If it seems too thick to pipe, add reserved milk. Remove from heat. Using a hand whisk, beat butter into egg mixture, one tablespoon at a time.
   
4. In a pan  melt chocolate until smooth. Add chocolate mixture to the pastry cream; let cool completely. Just before assembling croquembouche, fill a pastry tube fitted with a 1/4-inch-wide tip with pastry cream, insert tip into puffs, and pipe in cream to fill.
   
5. To make the caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine 2/3 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup, and bring to a boil over high heat. Do not stir. Cover pan, and boil until steam dissolves any crystals. Uncover, and boil 5 more minutes, or until syrup is amber in color. Remove from heat. Dip the bottom of each puff into the caramel, and arrange puffs in a pyramid. You have to be quick!
   
6. To make a spun-sugar  to wrap around the croquembouche use two forks held side by side, and dip the ends into caramel. Wave the caramel back and forth over the croquembouche, allowing the strands to fall in long, thin threads around it. Wrap any stray strands up and around the croquembouche. Serve. yumm :P
   
   

#MeatlessMondays and #VegetarianFridays!

So this is something I did for #MeatlessMonday.... I'm just now posting it. :)  I actually made this out of leftovers. :)


1 can cream of celery soup and one can water
1/3 cup corn
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup cooked rice
season with pepper and salt
warm on stove :)
it was actually creamed corn that I added but there ya go :) This is super easy, it only takes about 10 minutes and feeds up to 3 people. :)

Papaya!!!

              Papayas are a rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C, B, & E vitamins,  potassium, copper, magnesium, and fiber. These nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer. 
              Papaya contains several unique protein-digesting enzymes including papain and chymopapain. These enzymes have been shown to help lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns. In addition, the antioxidant nutrients found in papay are also great for reducing inflammation!

Made Papaya Lemon fruit tarts!

 

Fruit tart crust

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks butter softened

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust: In a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, flour, and butter, and process until the mixture forms a ball. With your fingers, press the dough into a tart pan.... or two :) depending on what size you want, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Lemon/Papaya Filling

Juice from 5 or 6 Lemons

process 1 half of a Papaya in a food processor
zest from 5 or 6 lemons
6 large eggs

3/4 cup of sugar

Honey about 3 Tbsp.

Mix lemon juice, lemon zest,  papaya, eggs, sugar, and honey into a bowl. Mix until smooth. bake for pour onto cooled crust and bake 20 min If you want  just lemon take out the papaya and add the juice and zest of 4 more lemons. Sorry the pics aren't better. Still working on the whole photography thing. :P

 

Steamed eggs and Rice (Gyeran Jjim)

Savory Korean-style steamed eggs are a real delicacy at any meal.:D Gyeran Jjim (Steamed Eggs) consists of eggs, water, milk(or just water) something salty( I used salt) and a side or two.

Ingrediants
 2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk (skim or 2%)
optional... ketchup

Instructions
          whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and water until foamy. Pour into a heat safe ceramic bowl, such as a ramekin. Place the bowl in a pan. Fill the pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the bowl. Cover the pan with a clear glass lid. Cook over low-medium heat for 20 minutes, making sure the water stays at a simmer, or until the eggs are set. They should be firm but jiggly and have the consistency of custard. Remove ramekin and put desired topping on. Serve with a side of rice and your favorite Kimchi. :).... Or just rice.

Variations
substitute water and salt for some sort of broth (beef, miso, chicken, or other )
optional toppings---- ideas include, scallions, fried mushrooms, toasted sesame seeds, red curry paste(just a tiny bit) ground ginger, red pepper, kimchi, etc.