Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

I am back!!! I finally have the time to cook. Life has taken me on yet another path...I have been babysitting these wonderful girls and also make cakes and cupcakes on the side. These girls happen to be vegetarians and I always eat dinner with them, which has inspired me to cook more vegetarian food! We had this frozen mushroom lasagna one night that can be found at Trader Joe's. Although it was good, it was overly salty since it came in a frozen package. I had a craving for it again this weekend so I set off to find a recipe that would satisfy! I found this recipe by Giada and it is absolutely delicious! You can click on the link to follow the recipe exactly or try my rendition of it! I did not set out the milk and heavy cream out to reach room temperature and my sauce still came out fine! Also, I did not have any whole milk so I used the 2% reduced fat milk in the fridge and I bought lasagna noodles to boil instead of making it fresh. I bought two wedges of Pecorino Romano and grated it, causing the biggest stink in the kitchen! That cheese is very pungent! I was thinking of the phrase, "Who cut the cheese" as it was being grated! If you are a mushroom lover like I am, try to incorporate a mixture of mushrooms instead of just using one kind to make it even more tasty! Remember to go ahead and chop, dice, mince, etc. everything in advance so that you can throw everything together during the cooking process.

A mixture of chopped mushrooms! Yum!

In the skillet they go!

Is it weird that I love the way mushrooms look after being cooked?

Sauce in the making!

In the oven it goes...

Tada! Being the piggy I am, I forgot to take a picture of the lasagna and so you are stuck with this stock photo courtesy of Food Network! Enjoy and happy cooking!

**If you do choose to go with the exact recipe from Giada, I would like to warn you in advance that it is extremely salty! I tailored my recipe down to reflect the changes I would make to improve upon the recipe. You don't want to end up bloated and feeling like a blueberry!

Yields: 1 9x13 baking dish of lasagna

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature for greasing the baking dish
All purpose-flour for dusting
Vegetables
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. package of white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
6 oz. package of portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Sauce
2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
1 3/4 cups 2% reduced fat milk <--- use whole to make it extra decadent
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 - 5 oz. wedges of Pecorino Romano, grated
8 oz. bag of shredded Mozzarella
10 oz. container of baby spinach (I opted not to chop it, partly because I forgot to)
1/3 packed cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
9 lasagna noodles, boiled per directions or get the oven ready ones
8 oz. bag of shredded Mozzarella
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Set aside.

2. Vegetables: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 20 minutes. (Do not be alarmed by the liquid! I assure you it will evaporate with enough time!)

3. Sauce: In a 5 quart saucepan, bring the cream, milk, and flour to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the Pecorino and one bag of mozzarella. Whisk until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spinach, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Add the mushroom mixture to the sauce and stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Spread 2 cups of the sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 sheets of pasta on top in a single layer. Spread 2 cups of the sauce over the pasta sheets. Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta sheets and sauce, ending with the sauce. Sprinkle with the second bag of mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden, 30 - 35 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Mini Green Tea Chiffon Cakes

I'm not a big fan of green tea dessert because it can turn out to be a hit or miss! Sometimes green tea can taste pretty artificial if not done right! My boss/friend loves green tea desserts because they usually have a hint of sweetness to it. He's not a fan of anything overly sweet or indulgent! I had no idea what to get him for Christmas because he can buy everything he wants. His material things also happen to be out of my price range if you get my point! What better way to celebrate and give through what I do best?! I decided to find a recipe to make green tea cakes and came upon this one! As stated from the website I found this recipe from, buy high quality green tea powder that comes in an airtight and lightproof metal container. I highly encourage you to buy a scale for baking if you do not already own one as this recipe is a bit tough to try and convert. I only had jumbo eggs in the fridge, so it took about 3 eggs total to come to the correct measurement. I ended up having to scoop a bit of the egg whites out because it was over the amount called for. Measure out all ingredients beforehand to make the process easier!

Folding in the egg whites creates such a light, airy, and subtle yet delicious dessert!

Water bath for these delightful cakes! This keeps it from overcooking and burning. I purchased a Wilton Petite Loaf Pan to make my mini cakes, but if you happen to have an 8x5 inch loaf pan, you can just use that and follow the exact recipe from Kitchen Tigress if you do not want to make individual portions. Just make sure to use an aluminum pan that is NOT non-stick. Non-stick pans will not work for chiffon cakes!

See how the cakes pull away from the sides of the pan? No need for non-stick! I absolutely love these little cakes! Happy baking!

Yields: 9 mini cakes

Ingredients:

Cake

10 g castor sugar (superfine sugar, not to be confused with powdered sugar)

60 g egg yolks (about 3-4 egg yolks)

30 g corn oil

5 g good quality green tea powder

   add 20 g boiling water and mix until smooth, then add 30 g room temperature water and mix

   thoroughly; set aside to cool down

40 g cake flour

105 g egg whites (about 3-4 egg whites)

1/16 tsp cream of tartar

45 g castor sugar

Whipped Cream 

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/3 cup of powdered sugar

1 tsp green tea powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to about 320 degrees F.

2. Measure out all ingredients for cake and prepare green tea as directed above.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk 10 g castor sugar with egg yolks until dissolved. Add corn oil and whisk until just combined. Add green tea and whisk until just thoroughly mixed. Sift cake flour into mixture and whisk until combined. The small lumps in the batter will disappear as you let the mixture sit so do not be concerned.

4. In a separate medium bowl, use a mixer to beat the egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue to mix until thick foam forms. Gradually add 45 g castor sugar whilst still mixing. Continue to mix until firm peaks are achieved.

5. Use a spatula to mix the green tea batter a little. It should be smooth at this point. Add half of the egg whites and gently fold it into the batter until just combined. Add remaining egg whites and continue to fold with spatula until evenly mixed. Bang the bowl against the worktop a few times as you are folding the batter to get the air bubbles out.

6. Slowly pour the batter into each individual slot from about 12 inches high. This will allow more bubbles to escape, creating an evenly baked cake. Jiggle pan until the batter is level.

7. Place baking pan into a water bath and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning it halfway through the baking process. Take it out of the water bath and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cake starts to pull away from the pan. Allow it to cool on the counter for 15 - 20 minutes before attempting to take them out of the pan using a butter knife. They should come out easily.

8. Whipped cream: Using a mixer, mix cream in a small/medium bowl until frothy. Add powdered sugar and continue whipping until it is thick enough to hold its shape. Add green tea powder and mix until evenly mixed and cream is stiff. Use a spatular to scrape the bowl down and to get all the air bubbles out of the whipped cream for a more dense texture.

9. Once completely cooled, frost the cakes with the whipped cream and enjoy!

Pure Vanilla Extract

Hello, again! Life has not exactly been the easiest since I last blogged. I ended up having to pack everything and move back to California because it did not work out in New York. It has been very trying to say the least. I am slowly getting back into my old groove. I will not go into detail since this is not exactly a personal blog, but a food blog! In any case, I am excited that towards the end of May, I will have a little cake to make! Oh how I love making cakes for people! I am excited to show you all the end product! Hopefully, it will come out perfect!

For the longest time, I have wondered whether I could make my own vanilla extract or not. I always go through so much of it when baking, so one day, I decided to look it up and what do you know, I can! What can you NOT make these days?! I was surprised that it takes such little effort! The only thing you have to have is patience! I suggest starting off with vodka instead of other alcohol because most extracts typically use vodka. Rum or bourbon will create a different depth of flavor that you may or may not like. Use any kind of vanilla beans you want, but Madagascar Vanilla Beans are popular as well as Tahitian Vanilla Beans. I absolutely love the Beanilla brand because the vanilla beans are plump and moist! I bought the one that comes with 10 in a bag. For vodka, you do not have to splurge. I just happened to get a higher end bottle, but it is not necessary. Just make sure that the vodka is at least 70 proof. Either way, when I calculated cost per ounce, it is still cheaper than buying vanilla extract over and over again at the store or even online! Plus, I know I am getting quality extract from my own ingredients! The other good thing about this is that you can make even MORE vanilla extract using the same vanilla beans as you use it! Just continue adding more vodka to your vanilla bean mixture in between uses. It really pays for itself! Generally, recipes I have seen call for 3-5 or as much as 7 vanilla beans per 8 oz. vodka, but do as you see fit! If you want to be fancy, you can buy an amber colored bottle to put the extract in since it is light sensitive. Otherwise, keep it in a cool, dark spot and it will last indefinitely! It is highly suggested that you allow the two to blend for 6 months or more to get the best results, but you can probably use it after 6 weeks. If you simply cannot wait, maybe try putting more vanilla beans in per 8 oz. to get a stronger vanilla flavor, or even cook the two over low heat to speed up the process. Remember to strain the mixture before using!

Beanilla brand Madagascar Vanilla Beans in a pack of 10!

Split the vanilla beans lengthwise.

 Now cut the vanilla bean in half.

 You can be as generous with the number of vanilla beans as you would like.

I will update this once I have vanilla extract!

Yields: Dependent upon how much you want to make! I made 16 oz. of vanilla extract

Ingredients:

32 oz. sterilized mason jar

6-10 vanilla beans or more if you are afraid it might be too boozy (I personally used 5 vanilla beans per 8 oz. vodka)

16 oz. vodka

Directions:
1. Sterilize whatever jar you are going to use by submerging it in water and boiling it for at least 15-20 minutes.

2. Use a knife to split the vanilla beans lengthwise and then cut them in half widthwise.

3. Put all the vanilla beans into the mason jar and add the vodka. Make sure to screw the cap on tightly and give the mixture a few good shakes. Place the jar in a cool, dark, and dry spot to allow it to steep for at least 6 weeks, but ideally for 3+ months! Remember to give it a good shake 1 - 2 times a week for best results!

Ravioli with a Tomato and Cream Sauce

I used to buy things in bulk at Costco and loved getting their ravioli! It usually came plain so I could use whatever sauce I wanted with it. You can easily find ravioli stuffed with different ingredients in grocery stores. Some are fresh and some are frozen. Grab whichever one you prefer! This sauce is delicious and light. It pairs really well with spinach and mozzarella ravioli or a lobster ravioli! Happy cooking!

Yields: 2 - 4 servings

Ingredients:
Ravioli package of your choice (grab 2 if the package is small)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
5 small Roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 - 1/2 bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare the ravioli per instructions on the package. Set aside.

2. Add olive oil to a large wok on medium heat. Add the onion and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue cooking until the onion is translucent. Be sure to stir it frequently so the garlic does not burn. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add basil and allow the basil to wilt, 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the cream. Allow it to heat through, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once heated through, add the salt and pepper to your liking. Add the ravioli to the sauce and let the flavors meld for an additional 1 - 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls)

What better way to celebrate Spring than to make spring rolls?!

Traditionally, there are tons of fresh herbs in a roll, but it may be overwhelming for those who are new to Vietnamese cuisine. Start off with some Thai basil (not to be confused with American sweet basil) and mint leaves. Other popular herbs include Vietnamese coriander and Vietnamese perilla. Unfortunately, these herbs are hard to come by in Westchester County, so I make do with what I can get. I ended up only using mint leaves. You can probably find some of the herbs in small Asian specialty stores or maybe even H Mart, but I did not feel like going out of my way to buy something that I will barely use. In California, it is much more abundant and cheap! In any case, have everything prepped before rolling to make it easier on yourself.

I enjoy goi cuon not just for its taste but also because you can make these a couple of days in advance and serve it whenever! Just make sure to wrap each roll in a little bit of plastic wrap so that the individual portions will not stick to one another! Smart, right?

I boiled both the pork and shrimp together to save on dishes! Some people prefer the method of cooking shrimp in a skillet, but I was taught to just boil it! Do whatever floats your boat!

Make sure the water you are using is warm and not boiling hot. Boiling hot water will disintegrate the poor rice paper wrappers! Below is how I approach wrapping my rolls! The written directions also reflect this, but you can choose to tackle this how ever you want to! Some people just put everything together before rolling, but for presentation purposes, I chose to put the shrimp in later on in the rolling process. Happy rolling!

Step by step instructions on how to approach rolling a goi cuon (hope this helps):

Be generous with your greens! I just did not have enough to be as generous as I would like. What a shame.

Add about a small handful of cooked vermicelli noodles.

Add a few slices of meat!

Pull the rice paper end closest to you over the ingredients!

Roll the wrapper away from you once and then fold in the sides.

Roll once more or until there is about 1/3 of the rice paper left.

Place 2-3 slices of shrimp cut side up in a row and finish rolling the goi cuon! Tada! Simple right?

Enjoy this with the peanut hoisin dipping sauce! There are so many recipes for it out there. If you really want to keep it simple, just put equal parts hoisin sauce and creamy or crunchy peanut butter into a heat-proof bowl and microwave it to soften the peanut butter. Stir and add water until the consistency you desire is reached. Play around with ingredients. If you want it sweeter, add a bit of sugar. If you want a bit of kick to it, add chili garlic sauce! There is no real measurement for a lot of the best recipes out there. You just have to adjust it to suit your taste! If you feel like trying a bit of a fancier sauce, try the recipe I found below. Again, you will probably have to play around with the ingredients!

Yields: ~10 - 12 spring rolls

Ingredients:
Spring rolls
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb. boneless pork loin or shoulder
1 (8 - 10 oz.) package of dried vermicelli noodles
1 small head of lettuce
1 medium cucumber, cut into thin strips
Fresh herbs such as mint, Thai basil, Vietnamese coriander, and/or Vietnamese perilla
12 (8 - inch) rice paper wrappers

Dipping Sauce
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
4 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. granulated sugar (unless peanut butter you are using is already sweet)
2 1/4 tsp. chili garlic sauce (I use the Huy Fong brand)
1 medium garlic clove, mashed to a paste or use a zester
1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Directions:
1. For the dipping sauce: Combine all the ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Adjust to your taste.

2. Fill a medium/large saucepan half full with water. Add about 1 tsp. salt and allow it to come to a boil on medium-hight heat over the stove. Once boiling, add the pork and shrimp. The shrimp will take only a minute to cook, so watch it carefully and remove it once it is cooked through to cool. Allow the pork to cook for 25 - 30 minutes, until it is no longer pink. Take off the heat, strain all the water, and allow the pork to cool.

3. Cook the dried vermicelli noodles according to the package and fully strain all the water from it.

4. Once cooled, slice the shrimp in half, lengthwise. Slice the pork in half, lengthwise, then into thin strips, widthwise.

5. Add warm water to a large bowl and dip the rice paper, rotating it to cover all the rice paper. Lay it on a large plate. It will eventually soften.

6. Place a thin slice of lettuce on the rice paper towards the end nearest you. Add some herbs, cucumbers, noodles, and pork. Be generous with your ingredients, but be careful not to overstuff the rolls!

7. Roll the spring rolls according to your preference until you have about 1/3 of rice paper left. Some people like to present it with one end open, while the more traditional route would be to fold in both ends. Place 2-3 shrimp cut side up in a row and finish rolling.

8. Serve with the peanut hoisin dipping sauce.

Thai Curry with Chicken and Butternut Squash

As you all probably know by now, I am an avid believer of not letting anything go to waste! Yesterday, I decided to make steak with mashed potatoes and roasted butternut squash. I ended up only using half of the butternut squash, so I went in search of a different recipe to utilize the rest of it! Nothing goes to waste here! I came upon this recipe and tailored it to my liking. I omitted mushrooms, though the original recipe calls for about 6 mushrooms, sliced. Add whatever vegetables you want! Remember to have all the ingredients prepared accordingly before proceeding to cook! It is so much easier to have everything cut up already so that the process is much smoother and less stressful. This recipe is reminiscent of Tom Kha Kai, which is a Thai/Laos spicy hot soup that is coconut based and usually has chicken in it. Warning: this soup has a bit of a kick! Serve this with rice or a fresh baguette! Yum! Happy cooking!

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. butternut squash, diced
1 cup chicken stock (or more, if needed)
4 tbsp. garlic chili paste (spicy level - medium; use less if you want it less spicy)
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 (13 - 13.5 oz.) can coconut milk
Small bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Directions:
1. In a medium pot, cook the butternut squash and chicken stock for about 10 - 12 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic chili paste, fresh ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and coriander until there are no lumps.

3. In a wok, cook the chicken, onion, and garlic on medium heat until the chicken begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

4. When the chicken is cooked, add the butternut squash and chicken stock to the wok. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

5. Add the wet seasonings to the wok and stir so all the ingredients are coated. Cook for 3 minutes to released the spices.

6. Add the mushrooms (if using), bell pepper, and coconut milk to the wok and stir to combine. Allow the soup to come to a boil before lowering the heat to a simmer. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until the butternut squash is soft. If the soup does not have enough liquid in it, add more chicken stock to your liking.

7. Add the cilantro to each individual bowl before serving. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Sour Cream Pound Cupcakes

So, I made the mistake of buying two 16 oz. tubs of sour cream for a recipe where I ended up only using a portion of what I bought. I went in search of a recipe where I can utilize the rest of my sour cream because I hate wasting ingredients! I came upon this recipe from Paula Deen and adjusted it to my liking. I wanted to make it easier on myself by making them into cupcake serving sizes instead of using a tube pan. If you choose to use a 10-inch tube pan, just double the recipe below and make sure that the pan is greased and floured well. Make sure not to mistaken a bundt cake pan for a tube pan! A bundt cake pan is too small so the batter will end up bubbling over, leaving you with a mess in the oven! Lastly, bake the 10-inch tube pan in a preheated 325 degrees F oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. To spruce this up a bit, I ended up glazing these babies with a maple syrup glaze. Super simple, just put a cup of confectioner's sugar into a bowl and add a little bit of maple syrup at a time to get it to a glaze consistency! If you want to go a more traditional route, serve the pound cake with whipped cream (from scratch of course) and fresh strawberries and blueberries! You can definitely make these into a coffee cake by using all-purpose flour to make it more dense and add a crumble in the middle of the batter and on top of the batter. I used a whisk for the whole entire process so that it would come out a bit dense like pound cake. If you use a mixer of any kind, it will create a lighter texture due to the air being whipped into the batter. Happy baking!

Yields: 16 cupcake sized servings

Ingredients:
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with liners.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated.

3. Sift the salt, baking soda, cake flour, and ground cinnamon together in a separate bowl.

4. Add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternating with eggs, beating each egg 1 at a time. Add the vanilla and fill each cupcake liner a little over 1/2 full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes.

5. Allow the cupcakes to fully cool before putting the glaze on if you are using the glaze!