• Want!

    Interesting

    Recipes



  • cremefraichesorbetberries
    I had some leftover whipping cream and buttermilk and made some crème fraîche! I combined the recipe for sweetened crème fraîche and the one for crème fraîche sorbet to make this. Truthfully, I should have left out the sugar before I made the crème fraîche because the sorbet recipe calls for sugar as well, so it was a little too sweet (but still yummy!). This smells a little like frozen frosting or cookie dough, and has a rich, clean taste that really brings out the natural flavors of the berries.

    I really like this recipe because you can basically make ice cream, without an ice cream machine!

    Whisk everything together, then decant into a metal loaf pan (I used a glass dish that I lined with aluminum foil).  Freeze until firm (several hours), and serve with plenty of berries.

    And for those of you that don’t know how to make crème fraîche yet:

    • 1 c. whipping cream, room temp
    • 1 tbsp buttermilk or 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

    In a jar with a lid, place whipping cream and buttermilk (or sour cream); cover securely and shake 15 seconds. Set aside at room temperature for 24 hours or until very thick. Stir once or twice during that time. NOTE: Cream will thicken faster if the room is warm. Stir thickened crème fraîche well. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving. Cover tightly and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Since I knew I would be using this recipe for sorbet, I added 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract into the creme right before refrigerating to give it a vanilla flavor.



  • bestblueberry_2

    I had some extra buttermilk and tons of blueberries so I decided to make some blueberry muffins. I think these turned out great, though Dan said that they would have tasted better without the almonds on top. Also, this recipe made a little more than 12 muffins, so I put the extra batter into my Hello Kitty silicone muffin mold.

    • 2 c. fresh blueberries, picked over
    • 1-1/8 c. plus 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 2½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 2½ tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 large eggs
    • 4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
    • ¼ c. vegetable oil
    • 1 c. buttermilk
    • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

    Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners. Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

    Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 1-1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not overmix.)

    Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffins (see struesel topping recipe below). Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

    Steusel Topping

    Prepare streusel by combining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, pinch table salt, and ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons (3½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour in small bowl. Drizzle with 5 tablespoons warm, melted unsalted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-sized pieces throughout. Proceed with recipe as directed, sprinkling streusel topping over muffins before baking.
    (N.B. I only used half of the topping, and sprinkled with almond slices)

    Read more »



  • Sorry I’ve been so absent recently. Turns out that trying to get a full-time job while helping my mom and planning for graduation and graduation parties really takes it out of you. Not to mention the daily grind of planning meals, running errands, and shopping, making appointments, and so on. Fortunately/Unfortunately I am now employed! I will be starting my new job Monday (29th) which has enabled me to already spend my first paycheck by shopping! Not only this, but I feel as if I will also have even less time now (if that were possible) to update my site. On the up side, I plan to read and study on my now 2 hour round trip commute so I will become more literate and my Japanese might, just might, be able to get back to where it was.

    Recipes

    Interesting Sites / Articles



  • Hula Cookies’ Cookie Tin
    (Chocolate Chip Mac Nut, Kona Coffee Chocolate Chip, Honey Papaya Oatmeal, Pineapple Ginger Mac Nut, Double Chocolate Chip Mac Nut, and Hula’s Delight w/Coconut Pineapple Mango and Mac Nut.)
    http://www.hulacookies.com

    Hawai’an Food Online
    Ono Char Siu
    Ono Kalua Pork $8.99
    Dynasty Lup Chong
    Hula Brand Saimin Noodles
    Orchid Inarizushi No Moto
    NOH Hawaiian Haupia Seasoning
    NOH Poke Mix Seasoning
    http://www.hawaiianfoodonline.com

    Shop Kawaii
    San-X Rillakuma Relax Bear Sun Visor Organizer (For when I get a car??)
    Lemon Co. Push Pin Hooks (for when I get a job??)
    San-X Mamegoma Tupperware with 2 Removable Compartments
    http://www.shopkawaii.com

    Crescent Trading
    Things I think I’m buying from Rakuten and Yahoo Japan, pending a quote.
    Rakuten:
    - Hiragana Letters: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/smilezakka/75606/
    - Panda Picks: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/yellowstudio/10953/#10953
    - Scissors/Pinch: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/parkridge/11090/
    - Sando Bento: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/coo-coo/memere-sandwich2-rd/
    - Egg Stencil: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/smilezakka/75587/

    Yahoo:
    - Walle Keychain: http://page18.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/w39581973
    - Hawaii Hello Kitty Bento: http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d88263486
    - Momo Panda Bento: http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d93447518
    - Pon de Lion Bento: http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h127938065

    Things I still want to buy, but can’t or wont:

    • Smart Bento – http://shop.iloveobento.com/products/smart-bento
    • Stand Mixer (Kitchen-Aid)
    • Mochi Maker
    • New Laptop (smallest Macbook)
    • New Camera (I’m thinking Canon Rebel or a higher end powershot that has higher quality images but is still pretty portable)
    • Various cookbooks, especially Healthy, Quick, baking, “For Two”, or Asian
    • Wall-E Croc Jibbitz
    • Exodus to North Korea: Shadows from Japan’s Cold War by Tessa Morris-Suzuki
    • A Short History of the American Stomach by Frederick Kaufman
    • Mele O Hawaii Starbucks Music CD
    • Japanese Thermal Straight Perm
    • Honda Fit Hybrid
    • Sili-Plat Silicone Baking Sheet
    • Small Ice Cream maker (do they have bread machinese/ice cream makers?)
    • new iPHONE
    • AG+ Bento (http://www.rakuten.co.jp/tpfactory/1813351/1813352/#1387134)
      • I have the Large White one, but would like other colors or the rectangular one (see bottom)


About

    On this site, you'll find:
    Reviews (Book, Movies, Music, Restaurants, and Miscellaneous Products & Services), Recipes, Bento, Portfolio, and eventually tutorials for making Bento (including book scans), learning Japanese, and maybe some other handy-dandy things.

  • Bento Box in the Heartland: My Japanese Girlhood in Whitebread America by Linda Furiya

  • Hawaii: A Novel by James A. Michener

  • A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One by George R.R. Martin