Category: Misc.

Some Variations on Toast Hawaii Before I Hop Across The Pond


Well folks I fly to London tomorrow with my generous Auntie Mame for a wedding. This trip is an early 40th birthday present and will be a chance for us to have some fun like the old days. My aunt and I have had some adventures in Costa Rica, Budapest, Vienna, Miami, New York. But with my lack of funds and Certain Someone on the scene, we haven’t had a good ‘girl ‘ trip in a while.Her associates are getting married and we will spend a day in half in London, and then move onto the village of Thame .Unfortunately I wont be meeting any bloggers due to time restraints. Would you believe I have three on my list!Not to worry because I know one at least is coming to Chicago shortly.And yesterday I had the fortunate opportunity to meet Blog Princess who was visiting Chicago.

So in my haste to get things done but take care of Certain Someone for dinner,I decided on one of his favorites,Toast Hawaii. I had blogged about this before.But this time I had made some variations. I was in a fish mood and he was in a ham mood. So I got to thinking about tuna melts. What if I used the cheese and pineapple principle of toast Hawaii with a shrimp salad? So I made up both versions.Rather buttering bread,I used mayonnaise.
Then topped with either ham or shrimp salad, then fresh pineapple rounds,and then a combo of both Muenster and Colby Cheeses. Certain Someone normally uses Gouda, but he liked this mix because the Muenster melted so well. He even liked the milder shrimp salad version.
The shrimp salad was made with some frozen shrimp thawed,Old Bay,a bit of minced celery, cayenne peeper, salt, and mayo.Use your favorite recipe for the shrimp salad.My honey had a massive appetite I hope he behaves while I’m gone and eats healthy.I hope to have some posts from my trip and I’ll stop by and visit you guys when I get back.

Pear and Hazelnut Souffle


I have been toying with an idea in my head for a while. I love this pear cognac/liquor Certain Someone brings me back from his trips to Sweden, Xante.

So with some hazelnut flour and some Xante in the house I was forced to experiment and make this. Unfortunately my souffle fell before I could get some good picks. Rather than top with powdered sugar, I poured a smidgen of some Boiled Cider I just got from King Arthur’s. I liked the flavors of all and feel I can improve on this some more, especially to bring out the Xante flavor. A nice fall souffle. Remember I’m no souffle expert and I made this up. There may be better techniques out there. But it worked well enough for me.
Pear Hazelnut Souffle serves 5-6 mini souffles
1 tablespoon Xante
1 cup milk
1.5 tablespoons of butter plus butter for greasing ramekins
3 eggs separated into whites and yolks
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup hazelnut flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter your ramekins.In a small sauce pan heat milk until near boiling. Set aside.Put egg whites in a mixing bowl and set yolks in a separate small dish. Melt the 1.5 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk until incorporated ans smooth. Add the hot milk and whisk/blend until smooth.Add sugar. There will be lumps so try to work it out and stir constantly for approx 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water and add to milk flour mix. Stir in and remove from heat. Add hazelnut flour and egg yolks. Mix well. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Add Xante to milk/flour/ hazelnut mixture. Take a bit of the peaked egg whites and add to this base. Fold in gently. Add the base to the bowl and whites and continue to fold in till all mix is Incorporated. Fill ramekins 2/3 full. Place ramekins. Bake for approx 20 minutes. on a baking sheet with edges. Fill bottom of pan with water.

Update

I have been awfully quiet this week. So many things are happening right now. Certain Someone returned Friday for a meeting on Saturday. He then flew back this afternoon to Sweden for work. Over 3 weeks he has been away! This weekend we were so exhausted as I had a major event to work , a funeral,and he was in his meeting.
I woke Saturday to attend my Aunt “B’s” funeral. I think we all have an Aunt B in our family tree. Not to speak ill of the dead, but a somewhat lovable, gossipy, recluse who lives with family members for all her life.Her obituary summed up her life in her devotion to her nieces and nephews as she was childless. Aunt B was something in her day and I heard many a hair raising tale.One of those old southern African American belles that was so fair she could be mistaken for white. Get the picture?Well anyway the funeral was almost comical as there were some family feuds brewing ,as is common when sides divide over care of an elderly Alzheimer stricken relative. The trouble makers who did absolutely nothing in regards to care showed up very late and combative.The following scenes played out like the final scene in the movie”. Imitation of Life”. Fannie Hurst could not have written it better. Picture the long lost favored niece arriving and throwing herself on the coffin begging for forgiveness as she just didn’t have it in her to be there for her. I felt very uncomfortable and knowing the niece as I do ,had to look into my purse to avoid laughing as she started reciting Aunt B -isms to the amazed crowd.She missed her calling for sure. The minister saved the day as he definitely picking up on the weird vibes.I have been going to way to many funerals lately but Aunt B had a very long life. If only I live so long!
I then went to work at the society event of the year in Chicago. A wedding for a heiress whose families products would be something indispensable to most Americans. To rich to comphrehend!Anyway it was spectacular all day affair I witnessed from the service side.Talk about long night. When I got home at 3pm Certain Someone was “up” on Swedish time. It didn’t make sense to adjust as he was turning right back around. Sunday we were just slugs to exhausted to move. I attempted to cook , but it wasn’t my finest hour.My marinade on the skirt steak was a little to tangy from to much lime. I didn’t even take a picture.
I just got a great new cookbook that I promise to cook from to get motivated again. La Bonne Cusine ,The Original Companion to French Home Cooking by Madame St Ange( translated by Paul Aratow). This was the book that Julia Child leaned on and was originally published in 1927. So bear with me readers.

Asian Crispy Roast Chicken Salad

I both love and hate salads. A salad really has to rock and capture my attention. Spare me a bland lunch time salad offering. Sometimes the most prep work on ingredients that go into a salad yields a better salad. Otherwise in most cased we have boring, sometimes soggy messes. This morning I woke up not knowing what to so with some chicken in the freezer that I knew would have to me my dinner.
I tossed a packet of some Chinese marinating powder I pick up from time to time. Its made with dehydrated shrimp, and spices and really transforms chicken.I totally picked up this tip from Jaden at Steamy Kitchen and am addicted. There are many types of marinaded and seasoning packet ts to find in the aisles of an Asian grocer. The fun part is reading the labels and trying to figure it out . I had half a head of Napa Cabbage and some string beans that needed to used or chucked soon. I parboiled the beans and chilled them with some thinly sliced raw scallions. I also chopped the cabbage and set to chill. I roasted my chicken thighs with skin on a rack over a pan in the oven . This allowed the fat to drip out and yield a crispier skin. When done I let the thighs cool to room temp to settle. I didn’t have sesame oil so I improvise a quick taste dressing of 1 part olive oil, 1/2 part sweet chili sauce,and a smidgen of fresh diced ginger. Whisk up and you ready to go. Assemble on a plate or bowl the cold chilled Napa Cabbage, string beans, scallions. Top with sliced chicken with skin. Drizzle with dressing and your set.
Can it say it was delicious?! Maybe not the most healthy because of the use of dark meat and skin, but oh so flavorful and juicy. I don’t think this would have worked so well with a boring breast.Play around and see for yourself. The key in the marinade and crispy skin.I am going to submit this one to Jadens contest too. It can be a 15 minute meal if you use store bought rotisserie chicken.

Pan Fried Hong Kong Noodles and Contest Over at Jadens!

Today was a day. Normally Friday I’m winding down, but this Friday I’m winding up. I went back ‘into the field’ as makeup artist today to help out with an event. After a few months of mostly working from my cubicle, I was itching to get out and keep my artistry skills up. I was pretty good and had lots of requests. Unfortunately what I hated before about working in the public all came rushing back. People are weird and I need the patience of Job to deal with them. Especially when they are getting something free.Anyway after a few hours and about 10 makeovers I went back to the office and wrapped up my day. The streets were packed with Lolapaloza concert goers and traffic was a mess.I detoured through China Town and picked up some Lychee’s, and other provisions for the weekends. When money is tight China Town is a great find especially if you want to cook exotic but cheap.

 

Anyway this is what I created in about 15 min. Its like having takeout at home.

 

Glamah’s Pan Fried Hong Kong Noodles with Pork( serves 2)

 

Slice and sear 1 center cut boneless pork chop in oiled Wok. Add half chopped jalapeno pepper, and 1/2 cup chopped long beans. Stir around in Wok. Add 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and let meat and veggies simmer slightly. Take 1/2 lb *ready purchased /pre cooked Pan Fried Hong Kong noodles and add to Wok. Add a few tablespoons of water and more oil if needed, and toss all ingredients together and cook a minute or two more until mixed. Place noodles in serving dish and top with sliced raw green onion and * ready made purchased fried garlic.

 

* found in Asian Stores

 

 

I wrote this in the style that Jaden at Steamy Kitchen asked. You see its her Birthday and shes having a contest. She’s giving away Flip Ultra 30 Minute video camera to whoever she picks, that has submitted a quick and easy Asian style meal in under 15 minutes.Its purely coincidence that I made this and then a few hours later surfed and saw this. Jaden is a huge influence on my cooking and she has one of the best food blogs out there. So I submit my humble entry and urge you all to submit too. Whats to loose and you get a tasty quick meal too!