Asian Stir-Fried Kale

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Asian Stir-Fried Kale
adapted from May 2013 Food & Wine

2 Tablespoons safflower oil
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn into smaller pieces and massaged briefly until softened
1/4 cup coconut milk (I used coconut cream that I found at an Asian grocery store)
1 teaspoon fish sauce (or more/less, to taste)
fried onions for serving (you can use store-bought ones or quickly make your own, as I did – recipe follows)

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic, and cook over high heat, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the kale and toss until nearly wilted. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce and cook until the kale is tender and the coconut milk has reduced, a few minutes. Top with fried onions and serve.

Crispy Fried Onions

1/2 small yellow sweet onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup flour
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
salt & pepper

oil for frying

Place sliced onion in a small bowl and cover with buttermilk. Let soak while you prepare the kale. In a shallow dish or plate, combine flour with cornmeal, salt, and pepper. In a frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. In batches, remove onions from the buttermilk, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Coat with flour mixture and then carefully place in hot oil. Fry, flipping after a few minutes, until golden brown on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Repeat with remaining onion.

Enjoy!

Abigail

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Filling my Time

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I’ve had several days off in the past weeks… Why? Well, I decided to leave my job at Blackbird Bakery and spread my wings a bit – destination still unknown.

Wedged in between crazy days of antique week in Round Top, personal chef-work, and odd jobs here and there, here are a few of the things that have been filling my time:

At Anthro last week, I purchased a copy of Edible Selby – and read it from cover to cover before I went to bed that night! In the days since, I’ve been poring over Tom Selby’s blog The Selby. There is something so fascinating about getting a glimpse into such creative peoples’ homes. And the way Tom captures the smallest details makes the pictures even more intimate.

Sweetapolita – I have literally read this blog from beginning to end, drooling over the wonderful pictures and trying to rally the energy to get in the kitchen and recreate a few!

Late last night while sleep evaded me, I sat at my computer doing some work and stumbled up on these wonderful posts:

10 tips for blogging with soul

For Sarah, for all of us – one of those posts I read and immediately think to myself, “I’m glad somebody had the courage to write those words down.”

Taxes… enough said. The day after we both finished filing, roommate sent me this hilarious tumblr that helped us forget our tax woes!

Speaking of hilarious tumblrs… have you heard of thug kitchen?! (Warning: explicit content.)

Oh, and my brother and sister-in-law are making a movie! Help make the project a reality.

A few recipes I can’t wait to make:

Antioxidant Power Muffins + Clementine Glaze

Blueberry + Almond Buttered French Toast

The Best Coconut Soup Ever

Until next time… stay warm & dry in this crazy April Austin weather!

Abigail

Apple Pie on Ice

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Roommate and her beau are obsessed with a show called Justified. Have you heard about it? It’s about a U.S. Marshal who moves back to his hometown in Kentucky after a shootout gone wrong in Miami. Anyway… I’m halfway through the second season and there’s a character (Mags) who is the matriarch and leader of a “family” – you know, one that has a family “business.” Aside from being one of the most feared mamas, she is also known for her apple pie. Only, her apple pie isn’t the baked kind. It’s the, “the still’s out back, drink it out of a mason jar” kind.

When I was grabbing something from our bar a few days ago, I saw a small mason jar of my own “Apple Pie Vodka” that I started several years ago and couldn’t help but laugh at the connection to the show. Thankfully, that’s where the similarities between me and Mags stops.

This stuff is so easy to make and it only gets better with time. A few years ago, I was making an apple pie and had a bunch of peels and scraps left over, so instead of throwing them out, I doused them in vodka. Then a couple of months ago, roommate and I were organizing our bar and I pulled out the jar of goodness.  I strained the vodka off into its own container, thought for a second about saving the scraps to eat, but then thought better of it and tossed them. Now I have a jar of apple pie vodka to enjoy in an evening cocktail.

To make your own: loosely fill a jar with apple peels, add a few slices of lemon, a cinnamon stick, a tablespoon or so of cane sugar, and fill the jar with some vodka – I used really cheap stuff that was in my liquor cabinet, but because of the time I let it sit, the sugar and flavors cancelled out the strength of the cheapness… BUT, I can only imaging how much better it would be with something smooth like Tito’s. I’m sure after only a few months the flavors will have melded and diffused well. The longer you leave it, the better it will get.

Enjoy it straight, over ice, or mixed with some ginger ale or sparkling water.

Abigail

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Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Whipped Cream & Raspberries

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A dear friend of mine asked me to make her Gluten-Free wedding cake. So I’ve been doing extensive research about size, cost, etc. and am on the hunt for the perfect recipe and flour mixture.

This week I made my first attempt. The result: eh. Not the best, but delicious nonetheless. I couldn’t very well throw out two layers of perfectly good cake, so I had some fun. I filled and topped the layers with sweetened whipped cream, raspberries, and some milk chocolate shavings to top it all off.

The only bad part? Now I have a cake in my fridge that needs to be eaten! Anyone want to take it off my hands?!

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Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
makes 2 8-inch layers or 3 6-inch layers

The recipe I’m giving is the original, not my GF altered version.

adapted from Sky High (an amazing book if you are looking for some layer cake recipes… or just want to look at some gorgeous pictures!)

1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Butter the size of pans you’ve decided to use. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend until well combined. Add the butter and half of the buttermilk. Mix on low speed until blended; then raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, a few minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and remaining buttermilk.

Pour half of the egg mixture into the cake batter and beat until mixed completely. Add the remaining egg mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour mixture evenly into prepared pans.

Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

Whipped Cream & Garnishing

1 cup whipped cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 pint raspberries
1 Tablespoon whipped cream flavored vodka (optional)
1 teaspoon cane sugar

2 ounces milk chocolate, shaved into ribbons

While the cakes are cooling, combine raspberries, vodka, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside. Whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate into small pieces and ribbons. Store in freezer until ready to garnish.

To assemble cake, place first layer of completely cooled cake onto your serving plate. Top with about half of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with half of the raspberries (make sure to use any crushed ones in the middle) and a few sprinkles of chocolate. Add second layer of cake and finish off with the remaining whipped cream, raspberries, and chocolate. Any juices left in the raspberry bowl can be poured around the base of the cake so it soaks into the cake.

If making 3 6-inch layers, adjust the assembly accordingly.

Serve immediately if desired, but it’s even better after it has chilled for a bit.

Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Abigail

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Blessings.

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I have a friend who, instead of writing the typical “Happy Birthday!!!” on peoples’ Facebook walls, writes “Hope you have a good day. No reason in particular” (or something along those lines). Today, I’m having a good day… for no reason in particular.  It’s 11 and I’m still in my pajamas… I’d say that’s a solid start to a good day.

For the past few years, on my birthday I’ve made a list for the coming year. I’ve told you a bit about the ones from this year and the year prior. Things to attempt to accomplish, that I otherwise wouldn’t. This year, I did better than the year before, completing about half of the list. A few of my favorites:

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I went to New York City… twice! First with a good friend and then second with Mama and the same good friend and her family.

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I went skiing (in Chamonix!) with Dad.

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Ok, so… this wasn’t on my to do list, but I found this pic when going through my photo album and it made me smile… These goons got married a few months ago.

I also wrote letters to 5 people I admire or look up to, bought myself a fancy piece of jewelry, and went to the opera.

I’ve already started a tentative list for next year. The ones I’m most looking forward to: memorize a poem, learn to change my oil, go on a road trip.

Since most people make to do lists for each calendar year, I’m interested in hearing… how are your resolutions going so far?

Here’s to another year and many more adventures!

Abigail

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