tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78475063435466320172024-03-12T22:15:29.560-07:00Dishing Up ComfortA good recipe is a gift that keeps on giving and finding one is always a thrilling experience. Enjoy recreating the goodness of some of our family favorites. May they fill and nourish.Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-52062306223869508852020-11-08T23:03:00.003-08:002020-11-08T23:04:02.365-08:00Oreo Cheesecake Fudge Cupcakes<p>Mix the following together. </p><p>1 package cream cheese</p><p>1/4 cup sugar</p><p>1/4 tsp. vanila</p><p>1 large egg</p><p>pinch salt</p><p>1/4 cup sour cream</p><p><br /></p><p>Pour into Oreo "crust". Swirl with the fudge recipe below. </p><p><br />Fudge. Boil the following then whip.</p><p>1/2 cup butter</p><p>1/3 cup cocoa powder</p><p>2/3 cup chocolate chips</p><p>2 cups sugar</p><p>354 ml evaporated milk</p><p>1 tsp vanilla</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78Z0FQjqJf5TJF8CyDMspZ5jgoe4_kf4B5RDkbScTMnx2mWkX6sWOvwIlFVhXT0qGsbayc_6VCVfbSEWxA9en0r5AWfsW-VegK3x3m9i0J_vvTbqPePODHEmCW49oTH-Q8VAFnwjFgAxC/s1280/cheesecake+cupcake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78Z0FQjqJf5TJF8CyDMspZ5jgoe4_kf4B5RDkbScTMnx2mWkX6sWOvwIlFVhXT0qGsbayc_6VCVfbSEWxA9en0r5AWfsW-VegK3x3m9i0J_vvTbqPePODHEmCW49oTH-Q8VAFnwjFgAxC/w400-h225/cheesecake+cupcake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--8boYDCJjo">YouTube</a></p>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-8046289866779114892017-03-21T03:52:00.001-07:002017-03-21T03:52:35.611-07:00Upgrade Your Ramen EggsA hearty bowl of ramen wouldn't be complete without an <i>ajitsuke tamago, </i>that perfectly boiled egg with a golden gel of a yolk, and delicately marinated on the outside. For a long time, I thought it was impossible to cook eggs like these -- I either end up with hard boiled eggs with powdery yolks or soft boiled eggs with runny whites. Here is how to make these eggs to upgrade your ramen bowls, or simply to enjoy them on their own.<br />
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Boil enough water to cover your eggs completely. Prepare eggs by piercing them with a pin on the flatter end. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the eggs by lowering them one by one into the water. Lower the heat until just barely boiling and start timing for exactly 6 minutes. Turn off heat, take out eggs and run them through ice cold water. Gently peel the eggs under running water.<br />
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In a bowl, prepare the marinade consisting of soy sauce, mirin and sugar, in approximately 1:1:1 or 2:2:1 proportion. Soak the eggs. Turn them every so often to coat the eggs evenly. You can soak them overnight.<br />
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<br />Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-70021220616554757102017-02-08T22:49:00.005-08:002017-02-11T00:04:37.123-08:00Glazed Sweet Potatoes<span style="font-family: inherit;">Given the choice between potatoes and sweet potatoes, I'd pick potatoes anytime. My parents used to put chopped up pieces of orange sweet potatoes into their rice gruel. I don't doubt it was nutritious but it just didn't excite me. Until I discovered glazed Japanese sweet potatoes. Done well, these beautiful morsels had a slight crust on the outside which gives way to a soft inside. I have two versions of this and the difference is only in the sauce you toss the sweet potatoes in at the end.<br /><br />For both versions you need 1 big or 2 medium sized Japanese sweet potatoes, oil, and black sesame seeds.<br /><br />Glaze for version 1: <i>Taste like apples. </i><br />1 T sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T lemon juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">cinnamon powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">salt to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Glaze for version 2: <i>Savory sweet. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T mirin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 t soy sauce</span><br />
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Wash the sweet potatoes. Pat dry. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake in <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">350-400°F </span></span>for 40 minutes. Cool. Chop into bite sized pieces.<br />
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Heat oil in pan. Toss the sweet potato pieces until slightly browned and crisp outside. Pour the sauce for glaze. Toss quickly coating all pieces. Add the black sesame seeds. Remove from heat and serve.<br />
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-89825878550578561962017-02-01T20:38:00.000-08:002017-02-01T20:39:39.388-08:00Better than Market O Brownies<span style="font-family: inherit;">I confess I used to buy those individually packaged Market O Real Brownies Original (from Korea? Japan?). At almost $2 for a small square inch piece of sweet, I only bought it to celebrate something and they were always too small to satisfy. Then I graudated to making brownies from Trader Joe's brownie mixes and you can only get a package or two to last you until your next trip to the US. Then one day I decided to make them from scratch. My neighbor said brownies are hard to mess up but that's not true. I've baked hard and dry brownies and overly sweet messes. I've made brownies that were sorely lacking in nuts. My dad likes to say all those mistakes are our tuition fee. I've paid my way to Better than Market O Brownies. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">½</span> cup butter<br /><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: start;">¾ cup sugar</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">2 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">1 t vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">½ cup cocoa powder (Dutch process is best)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">⅓ cup</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"> flour</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">1 cup chopped walnuts</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">⅓ cup</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"> chocolate chips</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span>Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in cocoa and flour. Fold in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour in parchment lined pan. Bake in preheated <span style="background-color: white;">350°F oven for 20 minutes. First 12 minutes covered in foil and last 8 minutes uncovered. After exactly 20 minutes take out of the oven to cool. Do not leave in the oven to cool or the brownie dries out. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-89881935007583547892016-12-22T20:20:00.002-08:002016-12-22T20:26:53.238-08:00Restaurant Style New York Cheesecake<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gone are the days when I used to make cheesecake with unflavored gelatin. I got ahold of a proper cheesecake cookbook and learned how to make </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">ちゃんと</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">chanto </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Japanese for "doing things properly") </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">cheesecake.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> This is the c</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">lassic cheesecake made even more tempting with tart raspberry sauce. It can be made in advance and frozen. A timeless treat sure to impress. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Crust</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ cup quick oats or rolled oats processed in a food processor</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 T sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">2 T butter </span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">450g cream cheese</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1¼ cup sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 T all-purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 t grated lemon zest</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #252525;">⅓</span><span style="background-color: white;"> cup heavy cream</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Raspberry sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup frozen raspberries</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">sugar to taste</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix together all the ingredients for the crust and press into the bottom of a lined springform pan. Bake in preheated </span><span style="background-color: white;">325°F oven for 8 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Mix softened cream cheese with sugar. Blend in eggs. Add flour, zest and heavy cream. Mix until smooth. Pour over the crust. Bake in preheated 400</span><span style="background-color: white;">°F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 250</span><span style="background-color: white;">°F</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and continue baking for 35-40 minutes or longer until just barely set. Turn of the oven, leave the door ajar and let cool in the oven for 1 hour or longer. Chill. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">For the sauce, put frozen raspberries in a food processor. Add sugar to taste. I like it on the tart side so just a little sugar works for us. </span><br />
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-79919677784818028482016-11-30T03:11:00.002-08:002016-11-30T03:11:36.648-08:00Not Quite Apple Pie<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also known as apple crumble or apple crisps. If you're craving the homemade goodness of an apple pie but do not quite feel like rolling pastry, this might just be what you need. I love the sweet crunchy granola-like topping which contrasts with the tartness of the lemon and apples. Celebrate autumn with this dessert. This recipe serves 2-4.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1-2 apples, peeled, cored, sliced/diced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 t ground cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">¼ cup sugar or taste</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">2</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ T cold butter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">¼ cup oats</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">¼ cup flour</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">¼ cup chopped pecan nuts</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Toss apple in lemon juice, half the cinnamon and half a tablespoon of sugar. Spread in a baking dish. Combine butter, sugar, cinnamon and flour in a bowl until well incorporated. I use a fork and then work it further with my hands. Add the oats and the chopped pecans. Spread this topping over the apples. Bake in 400°F for 15-20 minutes until topping is browned and apples are tender. </span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-14313364159979551462016-11-23T20:15:00.001-08:002016-11-23T20:15:48.970-08:00Pecan Addiction<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Considered a nut in the culinary sense, pecans are actually a drupe or fruit with a single pit surrounded by a tough outer husk. Before European settlement, pecans were widely consumed and traded by Native Americans. They were a natural choice of food source as they can provide two to five times more energy per unit weight than wild game and require no preparation. A rich nut with a buttery taste and texture, pecans are considered a super food high in protein and low in carbohydrates, and an excellent source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. A favorite in pies (pecan pies are traditional to southern US), pecans are also the main ingredient in pralines (candy). I have posted a recipe for <a href="http://dishingupcomfort.blogspot.jp/2016/05/everyday-is-christmas-glazed-almonds.html" target="_blank">glazed almonds</a>, but our family prefers the "softness" of pecans. In this stovetop recipe, I toss pecans in butter in a wok and this results in a moister nut than the baked and no butter version.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup pecans</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T butter<br />1 T <a href="http://www.iherb.com/now-foods-organic-maple-syrup-grade-a-dark-color-16-fl-oz-473-ml/13573?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">maple syrup</a><br />1 t<a href="http://www.iherb.com/simply-organic-cinnamon-2-45-oz-69-g/31367?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank"> cinnamon powder</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">Heat pan or wok. Melt butter. Toss pecans and coat. Add maple syrup and cinnamon and mix until well incorporated. Be careful not to burn. Entire process takes less than 5 minutes. Eat as is or top on your favorite breads and pastries.</span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-64061207354686278122016-10-07T04:37:00.001-07:002016-10-07T04:37:59.929-07:00If Popeye were JapaneseMy kids are not particularly excited about spinach, except when I make this dish. Then, there's never enough and they fight for the last bits. So easy to prepare -- it is my go-to dish when I want to add some green to our meals.<br />
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1 bunch of spinach<br />
1 T soy sauce<br />
1 T sesame oil<br />
1 T sugar (or less)<br />
1 T ground white sesame seeds<br />
<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Blanch spinach in boiling water for 20-30 seconds until just wilted. Drain. Rinse in cold water until cool. Slice into 1-2 inch long strips. Squeeze out excess water. Mix with the sauce. Serve. Good even when cold. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-69421230137980431232016-09-14T17:13:00.002-07:002016-09-14T17:13:13.839-07:00Ironmom Bar<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love fruit and nut bars like Raw Bite and Nakd but only get them when they're half-priced. Then I learned how ridiculously easy they are to make. These three-ingredient bars are chewier and more pliable than the commercial bars and I found that I actually like them better that way. You can make your own variations by adding coconut chips, or cocoa, or adding different dried fruits and nuts. We take these on road trips as they keep well. I'll be seeing a lot of these in the next two years as I train for the Ironmom. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />13-15 pieces <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bergin-fruit-and-nut-company-organic-medjool-dates-14-oz-397-g/42380?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">medjool dates,</a> pitted (<a href="http://www.iherb.com/made-in-nature-organic-dates-pitted-sun-dried-unsulfured-6-oz-170-g/50634?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">deglet dates</a> work fine but I find medjool more moist)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup dried fruit (<i>I love the tartness of <a href="http://www.iherb.com/stoneridge-orchards-montmorency-cherries-whole-dried-tart-cherries-5-oz-142-g/65846?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">dried cherries</a> and <a href="http://www.iherb.com/made-in-nature-organic-dried-fruit-cranberries-5-oz-142-g/34217?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">cranberries</a></i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup nuts (<i>my go-to nuts are pecans</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything is broken down fairly well and the ingredients form a ball, pulling off from the sides of the container. Transfer it to an 8x8" pan or glass dish lined with baking paper and press it flat with a spoon. It helps to use a small piece of baking paper to press the bar flat as it can be really sticky. Refrigerate. Slice into bars. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-1965332407789394932016-08-12T16:49:00.001-07:002016-08-12T16:51:06.977-07:00 Chicken Salpicao<span style="font-family: inherit;">Chicken breast is the cheapest cut of meat in Japan so I do collect recipes that manage to bring out the best in chicken breasts (i.e. keep them juicy). I grew up associating salpicao with cubes of beef and it is usually an appetizer or pica-pica (finger food to go with beer). For us, this is a main dish that goes with plain rice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">500 grams chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cloves garlic for marinating + 3 more for sauteeing</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 T worcestershire sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 T <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bragg-liquid-aminos-natural-soy-sauce-alternative-16-fl-oz-473-ml/38027?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">Bragg's Liquid Aminos</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 T butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Button mushrooms sliced (<i>dish is still great without mushrooms</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Marinate chicken in garlic, pepper, worcestershire sauce and <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bragg-liquid-aminos-natural-soy-sauce-alternative-16-fl-oz-473-ml/38027?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">Bragg's Liquid Aminos</a> for at least an hour. Heat butter in pan. Saute garlic and mushrooms. Toss in chicken but do not put in all the sauce. The dish might end up too salty. Cook until chicken is done and serve hot. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-69771633076349887212016-07-27T18:55:00.001-07:002016-07-27T19:10:50.899-07:00Punjab Eggplant<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Summer's here and a neighbor gives me a HUGE bag of organic eggplant she proudly harvested from her garden. I do not like eggplant. In fact when I was younger, it's the one vegetable I avoided in </span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Pinakbet</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> (a popular Filipino mixed vegetable dish my Dad loved). I was determined though to make good use of vegetables given to me. At the organic center where I work, we sell Tasty Bite's Punjab Eggplant. I looked at the ingredients and kind of worked out how it was made and added my own twists. Now, I find myself <i>buying </i>eggplant just to make this dish. It's that good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 eggplants</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">oil for brushing on the eggplants</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">butter for sauteing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 t grated ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 small onion chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1-2 cloves garlic crushed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ t <a href="http://www.iherb.com/simply-organic-turmeric-2-38-oz-67-g/31462?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">turmeric</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 t <a href="http://www.iherb.com/simply-organic-cumin-2-31-oz-65-g/31374?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">cumin</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ t <a href="http://www.iherb.com/simply-organic-coriander-2-29-oz-65-g/31371?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">coriander</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> cup crushed tomatoes (I use half a box of Italian tomatoes)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">chili or <a href="http://www.iherb.com/simply-organic-cayenne-2-89-oz-82-g/31348?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">cayenne pepper</a> <i>(optional</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">chopped fresh cilantro for topping (<i>cilantro is not usually available in Japan so I usually make this dish without but it's wonderful if you have access to cilantro!</i>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Brush eggplants with oil. Roast for 30 minutes in the oven (roast or broil setting). Cool and peel off skin and discard. Chop up eggplants. Heat pan/pot, melt butter. Fry up onions, garlic and ginger in butter. Add the spices. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer. If you have a Thermos Shuttle Chef, leave the pot inside until ready to serve. </span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-16481867718578950712016-07-13T07:26:00.000-07:002016-07-16T17:44:39.061-07:00Goodbye Nantucket Cookies (Pecan Chocolate)<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Every time I pass Costco's snack aisles (a dangerous place!), I feel Pepperidge Farm's Nantucket Cookies call my name. They look so scrumptious. I love Pepperidge Farm's Milanos so I know these would be just as addicting. But I refuse to spend ¥1,500++ on cookies. Fortunately, I can make cookies so good I don't feel Nantucket beckon me anymore. I know a lot of cookie recipes say the nuts are optional but in this recipe, they are absolutely essential.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ cup butter</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">¾ cup sugar</span></b></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 egg</span></b></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ T vanilla</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 cup flour</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ t baking soda</span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ t baking powder</span></b></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ cup oats</span></b></b></b></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">¾ cup chopped pecan nuts</span></b></b></b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips</span></b></b></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda and baking powder. Fold in oats, pecan nuts and chocolate chips. Put balls of dough on a pan and freeze (After they have frozen, you can put the dough balls into a freezer bag for later use). To bake, put dough balls in a cookie tray spacing them properly. Bake in <span style="background-color: white;">350</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">°F</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> for about 12 minutes or until done. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-18623735840571156092016-06-30T22:56:00.002-07:002016-07-01T04:53:36.480-07:00Vietnamese Wrap and Roll <span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I recently visited Ho Chi Minh with my colleagues at the organic center that I work at. Vietnam is home to these wonderful pork and shrimp salad rolls. I can eat these everyday. They are healthy and do not leave you feeling heavy. Since I couldn't bring my family to Vietnam, I brought Vietnam to our dinner table for my family. Put some <a href="http://www.iherb.com/now-foods-essential-oils-lemongrass-1-fl-oz-30-ml/3330?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">lemongrass oil</a> in a diffuser and enjoy a gastronomic trip with these rolls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1-2 small packs glass noodles or <i>harusame </i>or vermicelli noodles</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">200 g thinly sliced pork</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5-6 T <a href="http://dishingupcomfort.blogspot.jp/2016/06/the-best-grilled-meat-marinade.html" target="_blank">The Best Grilled Meat Marinade </a>(<i>for cooking the pork</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 carrot, sliced into long thin strips</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">200 g shrimp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">a couple slices of ginger (<i>for cooking the shrimp</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">lettuce leaves (<i>1 leaf per roll needed</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Vietnamese roll rice paper sheets</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">fresh cilantro (<i>I didn't have these and they're usually quite expensive in the supermarket so I substituted with </i>nira<i> or garlic chives and it worked wonderfully -- but if you have access to cilantro, these are the cat's meow!</i>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">cucumber, sliced into long thin strips (<i>optional</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pan fry pork in </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://dishingupcomfort.blogspot.jp/2016/06/the-best-grilled-meat-marinade.html" target="_blank">The Best Grilled Meat Marinade</a> until done. Set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Boil ginger slices in salted water. Toss in peeled and deveined shrimps. Cook until done. Slice in half lengthwise. Set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Soak glass noodles in water for at least 20 minutes. Blanch in boiling water. Cool in running cold water. Drain. Set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dip two sheets of rice paper in water until completely damp on both sides and they have become soft and pliable. Lay on a plate one on top of the other. Put a piece of lettuce on the bottom half of the paper. Layer with carrots, coriander or garlic chives, cucumber (if using), pork pieces, and a clump of noodles. Fold bottom portion of the paper over the filling and fold in the left and the right sides. Place 2 shrimp halves over the top of the roll. Roll wrapper tightly until the edges seal shut. Serve with the dipping sauces below. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Nut based dipping sauce</b></u></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 T soy sauce</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 T nut butter (<i>I've successfully used peanut butter and almond butter, smooth and crunchy both okay</i>)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> T <a href="http://www.iherb.com/y-s-eco-bee-farms-pure-premium-clover-honey-32-oz-2-lb-907-g/23704?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">honey</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 T lemon or lime</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 T vinegar</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 T sesame oil</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">dash of pepper</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 clove garlic minced</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">chili powder (<i>I eliminated this to make it kid-friendly</i>)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients and blend well. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><u><b>Fish sauce based dipping sauce</b></u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>You may not be a fan of fish sauce but do give this sauce a try. The final sauce does not taste too strong or too fishy and is in fact a really delightful blend of sweet, salty and sour. </i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> T sugar or <a href="http://www.iherb.com/y-s-eco-bee-farms-pure-premium-clover-honey-32-oz-2-lb-907-g/23704?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">honey</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 T lemon or lime</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 t vinegar</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2 T fish sauce</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup water</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">chili paste or sliced fresh chili (<i>I eliminated this to make it kid-friendly</i>)</span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Combine all ingredients and mix well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-72481948449838475392016-06-05T01:12:00.000-07:002016-06-05T01:12:01.334-07:00The Best Grilled Meat Marinade<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every Saturday between 11 a.m. to 12 noon, the supermarket we go to sets up several tasting stations. There would usually be a station near the meats featuring a <i>yakiniku</i> (grilled meat) sauce. The ingredient list does not match the price (R<i>eally? This much for mostly soy sauce?</i>) and often includes MSG. Then I chanced upon a priceless recipe on Cookpad which yields a really lovely sauce. That recipe included MSG. I don't know why the author felt the need for it -- the sauce was perfect without it. I keep a bottle of this in the fridge and just add a new batch with the strained old sauce.<br /><br /><b>300 ml soy sauce</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>100 ml sake</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>100 ml mirin</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>5 T sugar</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2 T honey</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">¼ apple or pear, sliced in half lengthwise</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">8 cloves of garlic, crushed</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">4 knobs of ginger, sliced</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Put everything in a clean jar and mix well. Screw the lid on loosely. Leave in room temperature for about 10 days to age. Mix with a spoon from time to time. After 10 days, refrigerate. The sauce tastes better with time. You can mix a new batch of sauce with strained old sauce. </span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-11186861108422971212016-06-02T02:57:00.000-07:002016-08-12T16:57:35.444-07:00Cheapo Aussie Bites<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Costco sells bite sized snacks called Aussie Bites. They're absolutely delicious but also very expensive. A simple Google search yielded a <a href="http://thestayathomechef.com/homemade-aussie-bites/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">copycat recipe</span></a>, but I encountered a number of problems with it: I didn't have all the ingredients. I didn't have muffin tins. I was not too excited about the extra step of cooking quinoa. And it was a tad too sweet. The fruits were already naturally sweet and honey is needed to bind the ingredients so the sugar in the copycat recipe was superfluous. I also eliminated oil as there was already butter in it. So here is my cheapo take on a nutrition packed pick-me-up snack. Making them into bars worked fine. My kids absolutely love this and kept asking for more. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="line-height: 18px;">1</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">¾ cups rolled oats</span></b></span><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bergin-fruit-and-nut-company-turkish-jumbo-apricots-16-oz/40182?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">dried apricots</a></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup <a href="http://www.iherb.com/made-in-nature-organic-dried-fruit-cranberries-5-oz-142-g/34217?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">dried cranberries</span> </a>(copycat recipe used raisins but I only have dried cranberries and I find they add a nice tartness)</b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup + 1 T <a href="http://www.iherb.com/carrington-farms-ready-to-eat-organic-flax-chia-blend-12-oz-340-g/49514?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">flax chia blend</span></a> </b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup <a href="http://www.iherb.com/edward-sons-organic-coconut-flakes-unsweetened-7-oz-200-g/32715?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">unsweetened coconut flakes</a></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">(</b><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup <a href="http://www.iherb.com/now-foods-sunflower-seeds-roasted-unsalted-16-oz-454-g/8871?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">sunflower seeds</span></a> - I didn't have it for this time but if I did, I would add this in. It's still fab without)</b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ t baking soda</b><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ t vanilla extract</span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup melted butter</b><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup <a href="http://www.iherb.com/y-s-eco-bee-farms-pure-premium-clover-honey-32-oz-2-lb-907-g/23704?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">honey</a> or less (<a href="http://www.iherb.com/now-foods-organic-maple-syrup-grade-a-dark-color-16-fl-oz-473-ml/13573?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">maple syrup</a> works well too)</b><br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pulse 1 cup oats in a food processor until pulverized. Add the rest of the oats, dried apricots, dried cranberries, flax chia blend, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds and baking soda and pulse until dried fruits are reduced to small pieces. Add in the wet ingredients and pulse till blended nicely. Press into a baking pan and make sure to pack it in tight. Bake in </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">350°F for 10-12 minutes until browned. Take out of the oven to cool. Midway in the cooling, slice into squares. They may feel like they're going to crumble but rest assured that when they cool completely, they will be pretty solid. </span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-17762079660715629712016-05-30T15:13:00.000-07:002016-05-30T15:13:45.427-07:00Not Exactly Shepherd's Pie<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first time I've had "shepherd's pie" was at a children's party. Someone brought a meat-based mashed potato and cheese topped casserole and I liked it a lot. The person who made it said it was extremely easy and recited the recipe right off the bat. I made a mental note to make this dish when I have a surplus of ground meat and potatoes. What I learned as I researched more about the dish is that technically, shepherd's pie uses lamb. If beef is used, it's called cottage pie. If topped with bread crumbs, it's called Cumberland pie (see more technicalities on Jamie Oliver's <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-shepherds-pie/#cIKTeF3RhfGuMJuO.97" target="_blank">10 things you didn't know about shepherd's pie</a>). Jamie Oliver has <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/lamb-recipes/shepherd-s-pie/#dvo8PIEbh77XCC17.97" target="_blank">his own recipe</a> with a difficulty rating of "Showing Off". I usually like Jamie Oliver's recipes but this list of ingredients sound too alien (almost snobbish) to me. It includes shoulder of lamb, bone in (<i>which cannot be found in any supermarket in Japan</i>), 1 medium swede (<i>what in the world is that?)</i> and Maris Piper potatoes (<i>not to be confused with Anastasia Beeverhausen potatoes</i>). A mix of ground pork and ground beef is widely available in Japanese supermarkets so this is what I used for my Not Exactly Shepherd's Pie. A British friend remarked that traditionalists might see this strange combination of meats a violation. He might also be further horrified by the worcestershire-ketchup-soy sauce combination of many a Japanese "shepherd's pie" recipe. But violation or not, this has become one of our comfort food. It has the difficulty rating of you-can-make-it-while-Facebooking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">5-6 medium potatoes</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1-2 T butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">½ cup milk (or more)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">500 g ground meat</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">½ -1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green peas mix)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 onion chopped finely</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4 cloves garlic crushed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3 T worcestershire sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 T tomato paste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">½ cup tomato chunks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 t </span><a href="http://www.iherb.com/better-than-bouillon-organic-vegetable-base-8-oz-227-g/31929?rcode=dzd261" style="background-color: white; text-decoration: none;">Better than Bouillon</a><span style="background-color: white;"> soup base</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">rosemary (not critical)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">oil for sauteing</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">bread crumbs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Boil potatoes in salted water until soft enough for a fork to go through. Drain water then mash with butter. Add milk until you reach desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sauté onion, garlic and meat in oil. Add mixed vegetables. Add worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, tomato chunks, bouillon soup base and rosemary. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a casserole, layer meat, then mashed potatoes. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake or use the broil function of your oven for about 10-20 minutes in </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">350°F or until the top is nicely browned (since most of the dish is already cooked, we're simply grilling and browning the top of the dish). Give it some 30 minutes to cool off before serving.</span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-84498948694195516452016-05-11T21:31:00.002-07:002016-05-11T21:32:20.027-07:00Everyday is Christmas Glazed Almonds<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon and maple glazed almonds spell Christmas but you need not wait for Christmas for this seriously addicting but thankfully healthy treat. So easy to make you will toss out this recipe after reading it. It's just 1-1-1 and multiply it as many times as you want. You can also use these to top a salad.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup almonds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 T maple syrup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 t cinnamon powder</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Toss almonds in maple syrup and cinnamon. Line baking pan with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes in </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">350°F. Cool and enjoy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-66479379833544642372016-05-04T23:26:00.000-07:002016-05-04T23:26:04.664-07:00My Japanese Table's Terriyaki Chicken Balls<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not all cookbooks are created equal. Debra Samuel's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/4805311185/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=4805311185&linkCode=as2&tag=becomsheri-20&linkId=KW3PLTNNVIEQZSEF" nbsp="">My Japanese Table: A Lifetime of Cooking with Friends and Family</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=becomsheri-20&l=as2&o=1&a=4805311185" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />is one of the few cookbooks I enjoyed leafing through. A good cookbook inspires me to get on my feet and try making new dishes. These chicken balls were quite easy to make and delicately tasty. Great for bentos too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">½ </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">cup cornstarch or <i>katakuriko</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">500 g ground chicken</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">½ t salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 large egg white, beaten until foamy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 t grated ginger</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ t pepper</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 green onions finely chopped</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix ground chicken, salt, egg white, ginger, pepper and green onions. Scoop up a spoonful and shape into a ball. Roll in cornstarch. In a pot, boil the following:</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cups water</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 t dashi powder (optional) or 1 sachet of natural dashi</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 slices fresh ginger</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Drop the chicken balls in. Move them a bit so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Boil until they change color (to white) and float easily in the broth. Remove the balls. Toss them in the terriyaki sauce below. Serve them as is or skewered in a stick. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Terriyaki sauce</b> (I made 1/4 of this recipe for the chicken balls above)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">2 cups mirin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">2 cups sake</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">6 T brown sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup soy sauce</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">6 slices ginger, smashed</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">In a saucepan, bring mirin and sake to a boil. Add sugar, soy sauce and ginger. Boil on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. It can keep for months. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-49315746210577849432016-05-01T23:39:00.000-07:002016-05-01T23:51:13.444-07:00Essence of Japan Moist Matcha Pound Cake<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every now and then I get a craving for a green tea-ish dessert. The bitterness of green tea balances nicely with things sweet. This craving sometimes takes the form of a cake. Pound cakes are probably the easiest cakes to make: just mix and bake. I can make this cake in 30 minutes (including baking time!). If you hate dry crumbly cakes, you will love this recipe. It yields a wonderfully moist cake, thanks to the yoghurt. I usually make half the recipe else I get tempted to eat the whole thing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /></span>
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<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">cup butter</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">¾</span><span style="background-color: white;"> cup sugar</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">2 large eggs</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">2 T plain yoghurt</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1 cup flour</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">1 T matcha</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">t baking powder</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and yoghurt. Add the dry ingredients. Mix well. Pour into a lined pound cake pan. Bake for 10 minutes in </span><span style="background-color: white;">350°F. Take out and use a knife to draw a vertical line on the cake's surface. Put back into the oven and bake another 10-20 minutes in 325</span><span style="background-color: white;">°F (if baking just half of this recipe, 10 minutes will do. If doing the full recipe, longer time might be required. Use a toothpick to check the doneness of the middle). </span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-8012812745585562262016-04-27T22:53:00.003-07:002016-04-27T22:53:58.563-07:00Abunai Chocolate Cookies<i>Abunai.</i> A word uttered frequently by Japanese moms. It means "dangerous" or in the imperative, "Look out!"<br />
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It also describes this chocolate cookie. It is what my neighbor said when I gave her some. One has to look out lest an entire batch is consumed without thinking. It's that good.<br />
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<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">cup butter</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 cup sugar</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 large egg</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 vanilla</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1 cup all purpose flour</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">⅓</b><b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;"> cup cocoa</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">t baking soda</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">pinch of salt</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate. Bake in</span> <span style="background-color: white;">350°F for 9-10 minutes. Cool and enjoy with coffee.</span></span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-45989876958832823342016-03-27T00:27:00.001-07:002016-04-07T13:14:52.716-07:00Effortless Paella<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Paella is not an easy dish." (quoted from actual recipes)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">And I have always thought so too, until I made this up, taking the essentials from various recipes. Paella, for me, should have the following characteristics: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1. Rice is not soggy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">2. It has to be yellow. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">3. It's got a distinct cumin-meat-seafood flavor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">4. There's paprika or bell peppers cooked until nicely soft. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">5. The rice is deliciously browned and caramelized at the bottom.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Thanks to the even cooking of the rice cooker, an essential in every Asian home, you get perfectly cooked rice that is browned at the bottom every single time. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Is it authentic Valencian Paellla? Probably not but who cares? We love it. It's an effortless one-pot flavorful dish that I guarantee you'll make again. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 cup rice (<i>I used Japanese rice</i>)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">onion, choped </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2-3 cloves garlic minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 red bell pepper/paprika diced (<i>I have also used yellow, orange and green peppers successfully</i> <i>in the past but prefer bright red in my paella</i>) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">50-100g shrimp and/or scallops</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">50-100g chicken breast diced</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 <i>chorizo</i> sausage or similar sliced (<i>The closest thing I could find is beer sausage</i>)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 T olive oil</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">t turmeric powder</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">½ </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">t cumin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 t <a href="http://www.iherb.com/better-than-bouillon-organic-vegetable-base-8-oz-227-g/31929?rcode=dzd261">Better than Bouillon</a> soup base + 1 t <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bragg-liquid-aminos-natural-soy-sauce-alternative-16-fl-oz-473-ml/38027?rcode=dzd261">Bragg's Liquid Aminos</a> (<i>These two are staples in my kitchen and are very versatile but in the event you don't have either, go with chicken broth</i>)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">pepper to taste </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wash the rice. Place rice in the rice cooker with the recommended amount of water or broth if doing chicken broth (follow the line indicated on the pot). Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan. Saute onions and garlic. Add paprika, shrimp and/or scallops, sausage, and chicken. Turn off heat when chicken turns white but not fully cooked. Pour everything into the rice cooker. Add the turmeric, cumin, black pepper, the </span></span><a href="http://www.iherb.com/better-than-bouillon-organic-vegetable-base-8-oz-227-g/31929?rcode=dzd261" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Better than Bouillon</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> soup base and </span><a href="http://www.iherb.com/bragg-liquid-aminos-natural-soy-sauce-alternative-16-fl-oz-473-ml/38027?rcode=dzd261" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Bragg's Liquid Aminos</a>. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Stir to gently mix. Press the cook button on your rice cooker. That's it!</span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-57665204149258006922016-03-17T00:19:00.003-07:002016-03-17T00:20:23.585-07:00Club Bistek<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">When I was a child, my family had a membership at a sports club. Almost every afternoon in the summer, my sisters and I would swim at the club's pool. The pool was near the lounge and every now and then, mouthwatering smells from the lounge's restaurant would waft to the pool area and one of their specialties is "Bistek Tagalog" (Tagalog Beef Steak). I believe our nose has its own memory because every time I smell the distinctly wonderful smell of onions and garlic in butter, I can also almost smell the chlorine of the swimming pool and I am transported back to the happy days of my childhood. This recipe is an attempt to recreate that wonderfully savoury dish, Bistek Tagalog which the club restaurant serves in a sizzling plate. For bistek, calamansi is usually used, a citrus local to the Philippines. Since it's almost impossible to find calamansi in Japan, I substituted lemon which can be found in any supermarket. I am also partial to using the nice thin slices of pork as my kids</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> find that easier to eat than beef or even pork chop slices. </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Soy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">sauce</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> is crucial to this dish. It is essential for marinating the meat and it gives the meat and the onions a beautiful caramel color. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>3 cloves garlic chopped finely</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>ground black pepper</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1-2 T fresh lemon juice</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>3-4 T soy sauce</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>300 g thinly sliced pork (<i>or beef if preferred</i>)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1 large onion sliced into ring</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1 T butter <i>(or olive oil if preferred</i>)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Mix the garlic, ground black pepper, lemon juice and </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">soy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span class="il" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">sauce</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> in a bowl. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Marinate the thinly sliced pork in this mixture for at least 30 minutes. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In a frying pan, heat the butter or oil on medium high and pan fry the onions until soft. Move to the side of the pan. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Pan fry the pork pieces until done but do not overcook. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Serve hot with rice.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-25486829232964340582016-03-16T23:26:00.002-07:002016-03-16T23:26:56.470-07:00Simply Stroganoff<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Growing up in Manila, I have always associated stroganoff with upscale restaurants. In my recollections, the menus featuring this dish would always be written in fancy curly fonts and served in an ambiance of fine dining. Stroganoff is a delectable fare that I equate with the luxury of eating out. When I moved to Japan about five years ago, I craved stroganoff and wished to recreate the dish I remember back home but sour cream, one of the essential ingredients is difficult to find, and if available, too expensive. I discovered that if I strained plain yoghurt (which is widely available in supermarkets and convenience stores and is relatively cheap), I end up with something that is very similar to sour cream. The resulting dish is as delicious but doesn’t leave you with a heavy feeling afterwards and so I believe this version is healthier. Most stroganoff recipes call for salt but I prefer to use </span><span class="il" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">soy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="il" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">sauce and <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bragg-liquid-aminos-natural-soy-sauce-alternative-16-fl-oz-473-ml/38027?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">Bragg's Liquid Aminos</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">. They </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">bring out the fl</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">avor of the pork and the mushrooms better than salt and it blends nicely with yoghurt creating a satisfying </span><span class="il" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">sauce</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> that complements pasta wonderfully. It is so easy to recreate this five star dish and this healthier version is a great addition to our family’s weekly dinner fare, thus, Simply Stroganoff!</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>300 g plain yoghurt</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1T butter (<i>or olive oil if preferred</i>)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1 large onion</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>150 g fresh mushrooms (<i>or canned if fresh are unavailable</i>)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>300 g pork thinly sliced <i>(thinly sliced beef can also be used</i>)</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>2 T soy sauce</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>2 T <a href="http://www.iherb.com/bragg-liquid-aminos-natural-soy-sauce-alternative-16-fl-oz-473-ml/38027?rcode=dzd261" target="_blank">Bragg's Liquid Aminos</a>*</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>ground black pepper</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>parsley</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Prepare the yoghurt at least 2 hours before cooking. Place the yoghurt on a cheesecloth lined strainer and drain off the excess liquid or the whey to end up with a thicker creamier consistency. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Slice the onions into rings. Slice the mushrooms into small pieces. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan over medium high heat. Saute the onions until slightly browned and then toss in the sliced mushrooms and heat through. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Add the thinly sliced pork. Season with pepper, soy sauce, and Bragg's Liquid Aminos</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. Heat through and make sure that the pork is done but don't overcook. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Turn off the heat. Add the thickened yoghurt and mix until fully incorporated. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Serve it over cooked pasta or rice and top with parsley.</span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-28492462042219126682016-02-14T18:20:00.002-08:002016-02-14T18:20:34.822-08:00Hollywood's Lemon SquaresI confess to being a Hollywood magazine junkie. There is something irresistible about the combination of beautiful people and chaotic lives I find absolutely riveting. But I also end up saying "I want my hour back" after wasting it leafing through pages of expensively dressed stars. I did get one wonderful thing out of my bad habit -- this recipe for Michael Romano's Lemon Squares came from People magazine. I halved it and adjusted the baking times to my satisfaction. It is my go-to sweet if I am craving something refreshing and citrusy.<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1 cup and 2 T flour divided</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>1 cup sugar divided </b>(</span></span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ cup and </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">¾</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> cup)</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">½ cup butter</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">2 large eggs slighly beaten</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Juice of 1 lemon</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">powdered sugar</b></div>
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W<span style="font-family: inherit;">hisk 1 cup flour with <span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; text-align: center;">¼</span> cup sugar. Work softened butter until combined. Press onto an 8x8 inch pan or similar. Bake 20-25 minutes in <span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;">350°F until firm and golden. Combine </span><b style="background-color: white;">¾</b><span style="background-color: white;"> cup sugar and 2 T flour. Whisk in eggs and lemon juice. Pour over crust. Bake 20-25 minutes in 325</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: inherit;">°F until just barely set. Cool. Dust with powdered sugar.</span><br />
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<br />Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7847506343546632017.post-52010312900175219292015-11-25T17:35:00.000-08:002015-11-25T17:35:09.259-08:00Jack-Approved Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookie<div style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">We have a neighbor named Jack who runs an organic vegetarian cafe. Every so often, I share with Jack some of my baked goodies. Jack is always grateful but sparing with his praise, but there is one cookie that he complimented and so his approval is especially memorable. If Jack says it's good, it must be good. I came across this recipe when someone gifted us with shredded coconut and I wasn't sure what to do with it. The original recipe from <a href="http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2013/08/chewy-chocolate-chunk-coconut-oatmeal-cookies-made-with-coconut-oil/" target="_blank">Ambitious Kitchen </a>called for coconut oil but I like butter better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1 cup oats </b><i>(original recipe called for quick oats. I used regular rolled oats just fine)</i></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 cup all purpose flour</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 t baking soda</span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">¼ t salt </b><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">(I omit this if I use salted butter which is sometimes the only thing available)</i></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">½ cup butter</b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">¾ cups sugar</span></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 egg</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">2 t vanilla</span></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">1 cup shredded coconut</span></b></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;">
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">2 t milk</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>100 g chocolate </b><i>(original recipe called for chocolate chunks. I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Mix wet ingredients, then mix in the dry ingredients, chunkier ingredients last. Bake at </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">350</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">°F for 9-11 minutes. </span></div>
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Sherilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16468944233517741532noreply@blogger.com0