Dumplin

 Have you seen it? The Jennifer Aniston movie. Very endearing feel-good movie. Speaking of dumplings, I have been hooked on them for weeks now. I found some frozen pork and leek ones at the asian market and get seriously stressed out when I don't have a bag in my freezer. I don't know what is in them, crack maybe?  They come in a very generic looking bag that says Chinese Brand, Made in U.S.A. Chinese Spaghetti Factory. Boston, MA. Anyway, I make this soup with them and will eat it until I am ready to burst.

Erika's Dumpling Soup

1/2 Tbs sesame Oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Tbs grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (can use hot water and bouillon)

1 1/2 cup water

2-3 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs dark soy sauce (if you don't have this just add more of the regular stuff)

10-12 frozen pork and leek dumplings ... or more ;^)

1/2 tsp hot chili paste

1 sliced green onion

.

In a medium saucepan heat sesame oil. Add garlic and ginger and het heat to infuse flavors. If you want you can add veggies here as well to get them soft. I often add shredded cabbage. Once fragrant, add stock, water and soy sauces. Adjust seasonings to your tastes adding additional soy sauce of bouillon to get thr salt level where you like it. Bring to a boil and add dumplings. Once broth returns to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer until dumplings are cooked through - about 5 minutes. Still occasionally to ensure dumplings are not sticking t the bottom of the pan. Stir in chili paste to get your desired level of het. Spoon into bowls and garnish with green onion.

Now, I would like to take a little time to rant. I understand other food bloggers are looking to make money off of their blogs but if you provide a jump to recipe button, then I expect to jump to the recipe, not to more ads and another button that says jump to content. It is annoying and misleading and I hate you for it so just f-ing STOP! It's bad enough that I have to wait for all of your other ads to load before the first jump button will work. Stop being so whorish and just give up the damn recipe. Thank you and have a nice day.

Veggies South of the Border Style

So with summer in full swing, I am all about the veggies. I have also been craving tacos. This is the result. Try not to eat all the potatoes right out of the oven. They are seriously delicious.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cream

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2Tbs oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp granulated garlic

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbs oil

1 small onion diced (I used red onion-not traditional, I know, but I needed to use it)

1 small jalapeno, diced fine

2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 C water

Juice from 1/2 lime

Avocado Creme

flesh from 1 avocado

1 cup (or so) Greek yogurt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 small chipotle pepper, diced fine

Juice of 1 lime

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss sweet potatoes in oil and spices. spread on a baking sheet and roast until soft - about 20 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting, saute onions and jalapenos in oil until soft, add spiced until fragrant. Add beans and water and roughly mash. Finish with lime juice

Place avocado creme ingredients in a food processor, blender, or bowl and process/mash until smooth.

To serve, shmear the beans on a warm tortilla, top with sweet potato and avocado cream, fresh cabbage, pickled onions, cilantro, squirt of lime, whatever floats your boat.

Asian Persuasion

 It is no secret how much I enjoy southeast Asian food. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai. It's all good! Even though I find making it myself intimidating, I have to admit, I am getting better at it. Case in point, this attempt at Mei fun that really came out better than expected. I think it's better than what I get at my local take out joint. Disclaimer - I live in Maine. Not exactly a hot spot for Asian food.

My Mei Fun

1 Package rice vermicelli noodles

1 tsp oil (I use olive)

1/2 tsp soy sauce (If you have dark soy sauce you can use it here otherwise regular will work, too)

Sauce

1Tbs oil

1 1/2 Tbs soy sauce

1 Tbs oyster sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dry chicken boullion

2 Tbs oil

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion diced

1 cup (or so) shredded carrot

2 cups (or so) shredded cabbage (regular green or napa)

1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts- keep the parts separate, you add them at different times)

2 eggs, beaten

Fill a bowl with hot tap water and soak rice noodles until soft. Drain. toss with soy sauce and set aside.

Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl, set aside

add 2 Tbs oil to a large pan and heat over high heat until shimmering

Add onion and saute until soft, then add garlic and ginger.

Add cabbage, carrots and white parts of the green onion and saute until softened. of the

Push veggies to the outside edge of the pan and add eggs, scramble and toss with vegetables.

At this point you can remove from the heat. Add green parts of green onions, noodles and sauce and toss until everything is mixed and coated. Devour.

All About Barb

 Rhubarb, that is. Such a polarizing plant. You either love it or despise it. I happen to love it and will eat it raw. Just peel and munch. Delish. Since relocating to Maine, I have found myself embedded with fellow rhubarb lovers. These recipes are some of the best ways I have found to enjoy it.

Rhubarb Syrup

1 lb rhubarb, washed and sliced

1 quart water

1 Cup sugar

Mix ingredients and simmer, covered on low heat until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Strain liquid into a bowl, pressing out liquid. Let cool. You have essentially made rhubarb simple syrup. Reserve cooked rhubarb and serve on crackers with salty cheese like feta or ricotta salata. Add the syrup to water for a light refreshing juice or mix it into your favorite cocktail. 

Strawberry Apple Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

Adapted from Bunson Burner Bakery

Fruit Filling

1 quart strawberries, sliced
2 cups (approximately 6 stalks) rhubarb, sliced into half-inch pieces

2 honeycrisp apples. cored, peeled and diced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cookie Layer
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cup rolled oats

1. To prepare the strawberry/apple/rhubarb layer, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and toss with a wooden spoon to coat the fruit.  Cook over medium heat until rhubarb is fork-tender and juices have thickened, about 6-8 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Cover a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on both ends of the pan.  Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add sugars and beat until well combined, another 2-3 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and add in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and mix on low speed until just combined.  Add in oats and mix on low speed, stirring by hand a few times to evenly incorporate the oats.
5. Press 3/4 of the dough mixture evenly into the foil-lined baking pan.  Place the remaining quarter of the dough mixture into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Spread the fruit compote over the layer of pressed dough, spreading evenly over the surface with a rubber spatula.  Crumble the remaining chilled dough over top of the fruit.
7. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the crumble layer is golden brown.  Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
8. Remove from the pan using the foil handles.  The bars are heavy, so the center may require support from a spatula – it will start to sag when lifted by the foil.  Slice into 18 large bars or 24 squares.

I have also made this with blueberries and with blueberries with sweetened mascarpone cheese. Both were fantastic.

Life is Sweet (sometimes)

 Wow, 2 years since last post! Dang. Life goes by fast. Eat the sweets. You need a scale for this one. No artificial or boxed anything here so no guilt until you eat the 6th one. lol. 

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Real Strawberry Cupcakes with strawberry Crunch Topping 

Strawberry Puree

1 lb Fresh strawberries

Cake

330 grams flour (about 2 3/4 Cups)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup butter

385 grams sugar (about 2 cups)

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 C greek nonfat yogurt (plain)

5 oz strawberry preserves (about 1/3 Cup)

1/2 cup strawberry puree

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

4-6 Cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup strawberry puree

Topping

16 vanilla sandwich cookies (like golden oreos)

10 oz freeze dries strawberries (get them at Aldi for less)

1 - Make strawberry puree - you can do this ahead of time. Put 1 lb fresh strawberries in a blender and puree them until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer until reduced to approximately 1 cup. 20-30 minutes. let cool

2-Make cake. Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer. Combine dry and we ingredients in separate bowls. Whisk each bowl so that ingredients in each are combined nicely. Alternating, add wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture in increments, mixing in between additions, until everything in just combined. Scoop batter into lined/greased muffin tins. Bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes until done (tops will spring back when touched). Let cool completely before frosting.

3-Make frosting - Using a mixture combine all ingredients until desired consistency is reach. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. If too loose add more sugar, if too stiff add more strawberry puree. Frost cupcakes when they have cooled completely.

4-Make topping - In a food processor (or in a ziplock bag) crush cookies and dried strawberries until they are in approximately 1/4 inch pieces or smaller. Transfer to a bowl and dip frosted cupcakes into topping to coat. 

Share with friend and receive their praises!