Sunday, January 23, 2011

Wow, it's been a while...

So it's been a VERY long time since I last posted but something inspired me to start blogging again. I cant guarantee i'll be doing this everyday, BUT I at least want to try and get back into it.
In the last year and a half i've graduated high school, and I now attend the Culinary Institute of America in St.Helena California. Im studying to be a pastry chef! It's an incredible experience, and i'm learning So much about baking and pastry.

Here's a non baking related recipe my mom and I made for dinner the other night. It;s from Bon Apetit Magazine and it was AMAZINGGG. Takes a little bit of work, but its so worth it! Here you go :
Coriander chicken tostadas with refried beans and grilled fennel

Ingredients

beans

  • 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans (preferably organic), liquid drained and reserved
  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse kosher salt

fennel and chicken

  • 1 large fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, cut through core into 1/3-inch-thick slices (some slices will separate)
  • 6 tablespoons safflower oil, divided
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1/3 cup coriander seeds (about 1 ounce), coarsely crushed in plastic bag

assembly

  • 6 purchased corn tostada shells
  • 3 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
  • 6 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
  • 6 fresh cilantro sprigs
  • Lime wedges
  • ingredient info

    Chipotle chiles are often sold in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo. They're available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

Preparation

beans

  • Place beans and next 5 ingredients in processor; blend to chunky puree.
  • Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bean mixture and 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid. Stir over medium-low heat until warmed through, adding more bean liquid if dry, about 5 minutes. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before using.

fennel and chicken

  • Brush fennel slices with 11/2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel slices. Sear until lightly browned and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Cut into strips. Reserve skillet.
  • Using rolling pin, flatten chicken between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick cutlets. Spread out coriander seeds on sheet of foil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; coat with coriander seeds.
  • Heat 41/2 tablespoons oil in reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if necessary, add chicken to skillet. Sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to work surface. Cool 5 minutes. Cut chicken in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips.

assembly

  • Top each tostada shell with beans, lettuce, radishes, fennel, chicken, and cilantro sprig. Serve with lime wedges.

ENJOY!!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Long time No...post?

WOW...it feels like it's been FOREVER since I was last on here! I've just been SO busy
with just, life, i guess. I havnt had much time to just sit and write like this...
but all that time I havn;t stopped baking once! I've been working,
and cooking and baking non-stop!
I started my senior year in high school(draggg),
so i've been focusing a lot on that, and college apps and what not.
SO stressful=[[..but hopefully all the hard work we've done("laughs")
will eventually pay off!
However I do want to get back into the whole blogging thing when i'm
not CRAZY stressed out. Because doing stuff like this really does
help calm down all the stress of life.

ANYWAYS!...the picture up there is from a batch of cupcakes I made
for my best friends birthday the other day. They're "coffee and donut cupcakes"!
How cute is that!? It's really not much of a recipe though.
I just took a good recipe for coffee flavored cupcakes, looked up a coffee
buttercream frosting, then top it all off with store-bought
mini donuts! I dipped the donut tops into the buttercream(hehe)
and this gave me an excuse to go ALL OUT and decorate each one
with tons and tons of sprinkles (or whatever
you happen to have in your pantry!)

Everyone LOVED them. And my best friend couldnt believe
how cute, and fun they were! These would be great to make
for a kids birthday party, or even for sucking up to your boss
or coworkers at work!

Feels good to be back!


Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Happy 4th of July!


Little late on this post, BUT hope everyone had a great 4th of July!
My family and I went to our friends beach house in Malibu to watch some amazing fireworks right on the beach !

How beautiful is that?
Anyways, I brought dessert, and I made Martha Stewart's Fruited Cheesecake Flag, and Patriotic Ice cream Sandwiches(I forgot to take pictures of those).
You can find Martha's recipe here. But this cheesecake was absolutely AMAZING! It was so good, and it made a lot, so everyone kept going up for 2nds and even 3rds! It was a huge hit at the party! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Amazing Carrot Cake


I made Sherry Yards( Executive pastry chef at Spago, Beverly hills) Carrot Cake for my dad for fathers day! The recipe is from her first baking book, which is absolutely amazing. The recipes in her book have NEVER failed me.
This cake was a HUGE hit with my family, everyone loved it. It was incredibly moist, the right texture and spice that a great carrot cake should have. And the frosting? AH, just amazing!
I have no recipe for you today, seeing as i'm a little too lazy to type it all out, but i highly recommend picking up Sherry's book if you can.
Hope everyone had a good fathers day!

Monday, June 8, 2009

TWD: Normandy Apple Tart

Soo I know this weeks recipe was supposed to be the Parisian Apple Tartlets, but we were having a huge laker party at my house, and I needed to make something bigger than just the tarts. 
When I saw the picture of this tart, I was sold on making it! The picture looked just beyond amazing. And it was not at all hard to do.
The finished tart came out wonderful, and I served it with a little vanilla ice cream. Everyone loved it! I would make this again for sure!
Next time, i'll try to make the tartlets, i'm sure those were amazing as well.