Valhrona Chocolate Mochi

filled with Marscapone Island Princess Macs

 

I got in the mood to make Mochi.  I bought some Chocolate Lover's Mochi from

Sakura the other day.  The Mochi was from Osaka-ya

After reviewing recipes and looking at Pinterest I modified one I saw to make just a few.

I don't like wasting my chocolate especially the expensive chocolate.

I used my rice cooker to steam and the texture was just right.

 

1 cup of Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour

1/4 of Powdered sugar

2/3 cup water

1 Tablespoon valrhona cocoa

6 Dark Valhrona chocolate discs

 

I mixed and placed in a bowl in the rice cooker.

I put water to 1 line on the rice pot

3 times during the cooking time stir as the chocolate melts

 

Once done turn out, I waited a bit and rolled out and cut circles

with a large round biscuit cutter.

 

I filled with Whipped Heavy Cream, Marscapone and

Chopped up Island Princess Toffee Macs.

 

 



 

 

Shortrib Soup with Isreali Couscos

 

I had 2 slabs of Prime Shortribs. So I had a half bottle of Stags Leap Artemis Cab and

well we got soup.  Finished with Gruyere Cheese and Truffle Butter

 

 

 

Lemon Brownies my way

 

 

This is a prototype recipe, one of my friends posted it and thought I'd give it a whirl.

You'll need:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup cake flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, large
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup C and H Stevia light sugar for baking
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped macs
1/4 cup dried desiccated coconut

For the lemon glaze:

1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 rounded cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon marscapone
1/8 cup of heavy cream or half and half

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside. Use parchment paper if  you have. Or use baking paper cups I used 10 for this recipe.
3. Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
4. Cream the butter well and add the sugar and combine well add the eggs one at a time continue to blend, add lemon zest, and lemon juice, vanilla and salt until combined.
6. Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
7. Pour into baking dish or baking cups and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges.  If using baking cups reduce 18-20 minutes depending on your oven.
8. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
9. Sift the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice and marscapone and cream.
10. Spread 1/2 the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula top with a little more coconut and macs and let glaze set.

  

Enjoy!

 



 

Chicken Long Rice my way

 

You'll need 3 chicken wings and 3 legs or thighs

1/2 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, sliced, diced and crushed

1-2 slices of ginger

2 stalks green onion chopped

1 ladle of Fish Sauce I used the Vietnamese one

2 capfuls of Shao Xhing cooking wine

1 chicken boullion cube or 1 quart chicken stock

1-2 reams of Glass Noodles soaked until tender ( I soak all day)

2 springs of fresh thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

2-3 small sized fresh Patola (Asian store/seasonal)

or 1 Chayote (green) peeled sliced on the mandolin

1/2 green papaya peeled and sliced on mandolin

 

This version is kind of Filipino kind of Hawaiian.

Only difference is vegetables are added and the chicken meat is not shredded.

 

With all the Foster Farms chicken issues, I went to Trader Joe's and got some Organic Chicken Wings and Legs.

 

The morning of, soak in cold water clear/glass noodles sold in most Asian stores.  Ours carries the linguini wide which I like.

 

I sauté 1/2 of  a yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic crushed and minced 1-2 slices of ginger root. . Then throw in the chicken, sauté and add 1 ladle of fish sauce,  2 capfuls of Xao Xhing Cooking wine, 1 chicken boullion salt and pepper 2 sprigs of thyme. Add 1 quart of water and simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.

 

I use a Filipino Chinese vegetable, this one called Patola, when it's dried it's like a loofa sponge so you need these when they are young.  Peel and cut into cubes, or green papaya or Chayote diced and sliced.  Add the vegetables and glass noodles and cook until veggies are tender.

Finish with onion.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

The glass noodles will soak up the broth so add more water as needed.

 

 

 

Pork with Green Beans and Black Bean  Sauce

 

I haven't cooked this in a while so here goes.

 

You'll need:

 

1/2 yellow onion

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced, diced and crushed

1 good size pork steak sliced thin

1 heaping Tablespoon black bean sauce

1 Tablespoon shoyu

1 ladle Fish sauce

2 capfuls of Shao Xhing cooking wine

Salt and Pepper to Taste

2-3 cups chicken stock

cornstarch slurry

Long Chinese Green Beans or Green Beans above or blue lakes

 

Saute the onion and garlic add the sliced pork salt and pepper  stir fry until all opaque, and add the fish sauce and Shao Xhing cooking wine and black bean sauce sauté and stock until the liquid has evaporated.

This will look like it's starting to fry

add the cornstarch slurry  2 T cornstarch to 1 cup water

if too thick add a little water until you get to a gravy type liquid.

 

In another pot with salted boiling water cook the beans until tender 2-3 minutes, then shock the beans.  Add to the meat toss/stir and serve.

 

Enjoy! 

 



Carrot Cake my way

 

I came across a Carrot Cake that I kept revamping so with the revisions here it is my way.

The pinapple above is Fresh Mau'i Gold Pineapple, I grilled in grill pan soaked in Coconut Milk and a C & H Stevia Light  and Cinammon Mix, very onolicious.  Learned from some family friends.

 

Carrot Cake

1/3 pound coarsely grated carrots 

1 small zucchini grated

2 extra large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup C and H Stevia light sugar

1/2 canola oil

1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoons pure vanilla

Finely grated zest of 1 large orange

1 1/8 cup oatmeal (I use McCann's and process into flour)

5/8 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves ( only used a pinch)

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 cup shredded coconut don't use baker's I use dried desiccated coconut

1/2 cup cranberries I minced

 

In case you want cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoons pure vanilla

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)

1 teaspoons lemon zest

1 teaspoons orange zest

1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Mix all ingredients together

 

Prepare  9″ cake pans with parchment and oil. Preheat oven to 350 degree and bake 20-25 minutes until done check for doneness with knife comes out clean.

 

 

 

My new go to snack

 

This is so good, and Diabetic friendly made of almond milk.

 

 

Hog Island Baby, in Napa

You know we're in Napa Valley a lot but well, I've been on my Kumamoto Oyster kick lately.

 

These rocked and hubby enjoyed them as well.

 

It's one of these things I salivate about.   hehehe



 

Our Chickateer's gifts

 

Our 3 girls have been blessing us with their eggs, yes these were fresh today.

 

It's hard to eat store bought ones

 



 

 

Bean Cake (tofu) with Pork

 

One of the many dishes I make.  My son and nephew love this dish I make.


 

 

Ramen Burger My way
So I had some ground Wagyu in the freezer and some jowl, and I finely chopped the jowl
seasoned and made the patties. Place in fridge to rest.
The noodles well, I use a Chukka style Ramen, cook the noodles to pkg, drain cut
put in fridge for 15 minutes.  Then I use a round plastic container lid and form the noodles in it
then press in the lid then fry.  The video's call for a beaten egg for a binder.  I elected not.
I then pan fried the noodle don't bother while it's frying and drain on paper towel. Meanwhile start cooking your burgers to desired temperature.
I dressed mine with lettuce, gruyere cheese and my sauce was the miso salad dressing with lemon and shoyu along with some tomato top with ramen top and enjoy.
I personally didn't like eating it like a burger, so I chose to not use the top and used a fork.
Too much humbug.


 

 

 

Ramen Loco Moco my way

 

So you know that the Ramen burger is making it's hit yeah? Well, I am picky about my ramen noodles, I don't use Top Ramen.  I use a Chukka style, I like the noodles.

so above this one is my version of the Ramen Burger, Wagyu with Pork Jowl.

Well, honestly, it  was good....but i'll leave it at.  I wouldn't order this anywhere though.

I've seen a few video on how folks made it, I did not use an egg to bind, I merely cooled down the noodles but them cup then formed before frying in shallow non stick pan.

 

I preferred the Ramen Loco Moco which I did above, and would do this now and then.

What makes the gravy ono?  Brown Gravy, homemade or package and use the sauce packet seasoning in the gravy, you won't need the added salt. 

 

I even used for lunch at work see below and it was indeed ono.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Wagyu Oyster Sauce Beef

 

Aloha all, I know I have not been able to update this blog or post anything

I've cooked in a while.

Well, I've cooked but not dishes that we post worthy per say.

 

Work is busy, i'm busy, ISB Band is busy and my Hula Halau.

 

We performed at Sacramento Aloha Festival yesterday. Stopped at Oto's to pick up

some Wagyu, Goevea's Portagee Sausage, Fresh Shitake, Brown rice

and other supplies.

 

Well, here we have Wagyu Oyster Sauce Beef with shitake, water chestnuts,

bamboo shoots and broccolini florets.

 

This made my Sunday.

 

 



Blackberry and Almond Oat Scones my way

 

Once in a while I get into the scone kick.  I really like Blueberry and Blackberry ones.

 

This recipe is basic and adapted from Martha Stewarts Blueberry Scone recipe however, I tweaked in a spots.

 

You need:

 

1 cup wheat or white flour ( like to use 1/2 cup wheat and 1/2 quinoa flour)

1 cup oatmeal (process it fine to equal one cup)

I am picky about my oatmeal, I use Trader Joe's or McCann's

6 Tablespoons butter use the good stuff if you can

1/3 cup cream or half and half  or Buttermilk  (Your choice)

1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder

I use C and H Stevia light for baking so I will use 1.5 Tablespoons that I have

blended with lemon verbena

or use 3 Tablespoons regular sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg

 

Have 1 cup of fruit of your choice

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup nuts I love macs or almonds even hazelnuts

 

Sift the flours, salt and baking powder.

In a food processor pulse the flours and butter

In another bowl mix the egg, cream and vanilla

pour and mix gently the flour and egg cream mixture

add fruit and knead gently trying not to bruise your fruit

I use the big fork for tossing salad while I put the cream mixture in

place dough on a prepped parchment lined pan.  I have a silpat and that works great

I make a rectangle of the dough pressing lightly

I cut 2-3 squares then triangle cut this will make approximately 6 nice size scones

 

Sprinkle with Turbonado sugar before baking

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes depending on your oven.

I use a convection oven so it takes 18-20

 

If you have patience to let them cool down, I make either a Marsala and Espresso Powder glaze with

1-2 T Cream and 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Sweet Marsala Wine and 1/4 Teaspoon Espresso Powder stir and mix and add more liquid if needed and glaze over warm or cooled down

 

I make a Caramel sauce for my coffee using the C and H Stevia light it takes a while to make this,

however if you have caramel sauce take 2T and 1/2 cup powdered sugar and stir to mix well and pour over the scones.

 

Bon appetit!!!!

 

 

How do I do this and get to work on time?

I prep the flours and zest and cover.  I leave 1 egg out so it's room temp in the morning

Mix put in the oven get ready for work.  Pour the coffee cool them down glaze and off to work you go.

 



Lobster Carbonara my way

 

 

Lobster Carbonara my way

 

 

 

Lobster (it's hiding) Carbonara with Somen Noodles  Fresh Uni with Pancetta and Tobiko.....Sauce is Sake Buerre Blanc with shallot.

Kanpai!! 

Spinach Gnocchi

 

 

Parisienne Style Spinach Gnocchi

 

Have you eaten at Bistro Moulin in Monterey?  We went with my sister and

brother in law during one of our visits.

 

I don't normally eat Gnocchi because of the texture of the potato dough, I have tried several

and augh, I always get a bad plate, rubbery, chewey. 

 

As reluctant as I was to try them at Bistro Moulin, OMG they

were pillowy soft melt in your mouth goodness.

 

Well it's a 2.5 hour drive there so, once in a while I crave this dish.

 

We had dinner in town here with a friend and told me what to do and I tried it again and voila this

worked.  Frenchie loved them and we ate them up.

 

It's not exactly the same but glad I was happy with them this time .

Pizza Voila!!!

Pizza My Way

 

 

Happy 4th 2013

 

Pizza my way, Italian Sausage, Molinari Pancetta,

Chive and onion from my garden,

Mushroom, diced San Marzano tomato,

Fresh Basil from the garden as well.

 

Gruyere Cheese and Ceasar Dressing.

 

 



Foccacia Bread my way

 

 

Foccacia Bread my way

 

I haven't made this bread in a while.  This is made with bleached wheat flour that was milled,

and some "00" flour.

 

 

 

 

Hakkasan SF inspired salad

 

Hubby and I went to Hakassan SF last month.  I was inspired by there Crispy Duck Salad,

this is my version with Crispy Char Sui and I got a tweet back on Twitter from Hakassan. !!!

 

 

Salmon/Ahi Poke Wonton

 

A friend of ours made some Ahi Wontos with a sauce a few weeks ago at music practice.

I took it a step further and in these heat, it was what his the spot last Friday.

 

You need to have good Wonton Pi, this is a Japanese version wonton pi and doesn't retain a lot of oil when you fry.

I used Salmon and Ahi that I got at the Japanese Market, along with black tobiko and wasabi tobiko.

Poke'd up the fish with Oyster Sauce, Shoyu and Sesame oil and chives.

Lastly the sauce/dressing is 1 part mayo, 1 part miso dressing, just of 1/2 lemon, shoyu and sesame oil.

 



Sticky Rice with Mango and Haupia Cream

 

What more can I say, sticky rice and mango with Haupia Cream dressed with Black Sesame seeds.

 



 

 

Egg Foo Yung My Way

 

You know, my hubby loves a good Egg Foo Yung, of course the cooks and Chinese Restaurant owners that we knew way back when are no longer in business and have retired.

 

So this is my version of the dish.

 

I found at Marshall's walking and found some egg silicone rings to cook I guess a perfect round egg.

I have to time for that I know how to cook eggs. They were on sale and thinking what else would I use these for.  Alas, Egg Foo Yung!!!!

 

So I have no recipe i'm working by instinct there.

Here goes, I used about 3 good handfuls of fresh bean sprouts, I chopped coarsely.

Snipped chive from garden, shredded zucchini from garden, baby carrots, and chopped up tocino or char sui or what ever left over meat you got.  Scramble mix the eggs and mix with all the veggies. Once in a while I will throw in peas.  But had no peas in the freezer.  The fresh zucchini from the yard added a nice flavor to it.  I also added thyme that I have in the herb garden. Salt and Pepper, Onion and Garlic Powder.

 

So the trick is to use a non stick pan set on low heat, then I put the rings in the pan and put a little Olive oil in each ring and then ladle some of the mix in to each ring and then add some of the egg so it will bind well. I do carefully move the rings around so that they will set, after 2-3 minutes remove the ring and carefully use the spatula to gather the running scramble to make keep them round.  Cook another 2-3 minutes on that side and keep going until mixture is gone.

 

The gravy my way is chicken stock and corn starch solution 1 heaping tablesoon to 2 cups of stock, I also use shitake mushroom powder I make myself, took a bag of them and grinded it down, just a teaspoon, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and half a packet of brown gravy for body.  Add more water salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with Rice.

 

 

Chicken Tinola with Long Rice

Kinda Filipino kinda Hawaiian

 

Last week marked 7 years after my mom left us for the heavens.  She could cook certain dishes of course influenced living in Kaua'i.  I so missed her last week.  But this is my version of Chicken Tinola with long rice noodles.

 

 



 

 

Some of my veggies

 

 



Haumea's Chickateers

 

 

Here are our 3 girls, they are now 5 months old, they are clucking away. There are such good sweet girls. 

Hopefully, now they will start to lay eggs for us.   Looking forward to fresh eggs.

They are such picky eaters.  I started making them a mix from Garden Betty for chicken feed which I mix with they Layena.  They love fresh cooked corn, salad, arugula, they love left over rice too.

Reminds me I need to give them salad today.



Hubby was in Montana recently, also he went to France with his mom and siblings and he told me about how good the eggs were.  Thus, this is why we have 3 hens for just that purpose.

 

 

 

Artichokes

 

This is the first time I grew artichokes.  These are the beauties on my plant 1 of 4.  In the far right is Zucchini.  I loved how this photo came out.



 

 

 

 

 

Croughnuts Haumea's Way

 

Well I don't think I"ll ever see the "Cronut" which is patented here made in our town. No one make s

a good croissant here bakery wise.  They aren't like Parker's in Monterey which I think are one of the best I've had.

 

I do however, like to make Croissants, I know what going into them and I've taken a lot of time to convert and make them a little more diabetic friendly.  For today's version and help of a Chef friend of mine back east.  I have replaced the all white a/p flour with 3 parts of a/p, bleached multi-grain, and wheat pastry flour and cake flour.   I use C and H Stevia light for Baking which I have blended with lemon verbena that I've cultivated and makes excellent sugar flavor.  There is no egg in this dough but there is real good butter.  

 

I didn't want to waste the holes which I punched with the blossom so those are my Sakura Blossoms.

 

The glaze is Espresso ~ Marsala with confectioner's sugar

 

Now I've seen them piped with pastry cream.  My next project when I make these will be filled with Yuzu Cream.

 



 

 

Somen Salad

 

Aloha bloggers, it's been a while since I've come in here.

The new workplace has me busy.

 

This has been the worst year of allergies for hubby and I.

 

Well tonight I made Somen  Salad I had made this in a while.

 

I didn't have any Chinese Char sui, but I did have a piece of left over

pork steak. So I sliced that up, some Kamaboko fish cake, snap peas,

asparagus, carrots and snipped chive.

 

Somen noodles cooked to directions. Usually 3 minutes

 

Somen Salad Dressing;

2 Tablespoons Sesame seeds toasted

2 Tablespoon light colored shoyu

1 teaspoon brown and white sugar

1 Tablespoon Mirin

1 Tablespoon Rice wine vinegar (seasoned)

Salt and Pepper

1 teaspoon  Sesame Oil

1/4 cup canola oil

 

Mix and toss into noodles and veggies and serve cold.

 



Pork Teriyaki My Way

 

Well, since I was on a roll today, I cooked dinner tonight.

Pork Teriyaki my way.

 

I love the Country Style Spareribs from my butcher.

I simply just cut them up to cubes and I marinated at room temp for 45 minutes.

 

My marinade:

1/4 light soy sauce

1/4 sake

1/4 mirin

1Tablespoon of Sesame oil

Crushed Garlic

Chopped Shallots

1 Tablespoon Brown sugar

1/4 of dashi

 

Slow roasted in the turbo oven flipping as they were cooked on one side.

 

Then I cooked the remaining marinade.  After all was cooked, I took the drippings and added to the simmered marinade and pour over the meat toss and serve.

 

Bon appetite.

 



 

 

Multigrain Spaghetti with homemade meatballs

 

My sister in law's gave me my mother in law's Kitchen Aid mixer. 

I often think of mom and my mom they are deeply missed.

So I really didn't use it until this past fall/winter when I was on

sabbatical from a bad work environment.

I took the plunge, and eek why didn't I use that mixer earlier.

I always used my hand mixer and/or by hand when it came to kneading etc.

So I bought the meat clogger as my cousin calls it.  I wanted to grind my own

hamburger.  So here you have it, my own meatballs with choice meat I picked out from my butcher and more multi grain it was ono!!! 

 

 

 

 

Mango Chicken 

 

This is my rendition of Mango Chicken.

 

I bought some smart chicken breast filets, stir fried onion garlic

add the chicken followed by the veggies.

corn starch slurry for the sauce and throw in ripened sliced mango at the end

Serve with rice of your choice

 

 

Last Easter Sunday, we drove down to my sister in law's in Monterey and drove in to

Big Sur, Sierra Mar at Post Valley Ranch for Easter Brunch.

 

We had a best wishes ohana get together for our son, whom is moving to Hawai'i nei.

 

 

Since they are working on Hwy 1, this was the view while we were at stoplight.

This was the Wagyu, Pork Belly, Crispy Plantain, Arugula, Quail Egg with a Black bean sauce. 

The black been sauce didn't work.

 

The view was quite beautiful even with the cloudy sky. Although we had some sunny spots throughout the day.

 

 

The Menu was printed on a think cedar plank

 



The above dessert was the Cardamom Meringue with Meyer Lemon and fennel with a Hibiscus Sorbet

 

Flourless Chocolate Cake.

 

Now, I took these with my Blackberry Torch and my sister in law took some photo's as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Steamed Matcha Green Tea Cakes

 

I thought I give "Just one Cookbooks" take on Matcha Green Tea Steamed cake.

 

http://justonecookbook.com/blog/

 

 

 



Hello blogworld.,

Well since I have been back in the office the past month, I haven't had a lot of time to blog.

 

But above meet out laying hens to be, Bella whom is a "Dorking" I understand from Mill Valley Chickens that she is a rare English breed.  She's such a cutie.  The other 2 are Buff Orpington's, we have a darker one whom is Sophie and the lighter beige is Gabby.  Sophie is my girl, love's to be held. Their combs are coming out  now and we just introduced them to their condo coop this week.

We purchased a Eco Pet 100% recycled plastic composite.  It will be easier to clean and no critters. Best yet, it has a 10  year manufacturer's warranty.  The girls are coming on 7 weeks now. So hopefully by September we will have some fresh eggs.

 

I'll be posting some things soon., but here's a  few for now.