edible deliciousness

The cheeses of France

These cheeses must get into my life:

1. Camembert (my favorite out of any cheese i tried in france, can be very strong and stinky depending on what kind you get)
2. Munster (nice and mild, good taste, anyone would like)
3. Saint Paulin (delish)
4. Saint Marcellin (uh huh)
5. Roquefort (duh)

Homemade Granola

From “How to Cook Everything:”

Makes about 8 cups. Time: 30-45 minutes

The contents and proportions of granola are goverened more by individual taste than most other foods. If you hate coconut, omit it; if you like it, add more. Same with the nets, which can be any kind you like. Experiment with spices too: small amounts of nutmeg or cardamom can make granola seem downright mysterious.”

Ingredients:

6 cups rolled-oats (not quick cooking or instant)
2 cups mixed nuts and seeds. I used sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, cashews, and peanuts.
1 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut (optional, I didn’t use any in this batch)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
Dash of salt
1 cup honey or maple syrup, or to taste
1-1 1/2 cups dried fruit. I used cranberries and blueberries.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Place a 9×13 baking pan over medium-low heat. Add the oats and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to change color and become fragrant. Be very careful not to burn the oats!
Add the nuts and seeds and mix.
Add the cinnamon, salt, and sweetener, stir and place in the oven.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice during this period. (I ended up cooking mine for about 40 minutes to make it crunchier).
Add the dried fruit, stir, and cool on a rack, continuing to stir once in awhile until the granola reaches room temperature.
Transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely.

Pan-Fried Tofu with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I got this recipe from Recipezaar

Ingredients

* 200 g firm tofu
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* salt and pepper, to taste
* oil, for frying

Sauce

* 1 tablespoon peanut butter (i used crunchy)
* 3 tablespoons skim milk or soymilk or coconut milk (will do)
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce or oyster sauce
* 1 tablespoon chili sauce or ketchup
* 1 dash chili flakes
* salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Drain tofu (i pressed gently between paper towels).
2. Cut into bite-sized cubes.
3. Toss with cornstarch, coating the cubes.
4. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper.
5. Heat some oil (about 3-4 tablespoon, just ensure pan is coated).
6. Fry the tofu cubes in batches, making sure all sides are lightly browned.
7. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
8. Sauce: Heat the milk in small saucepan (you can make sauce in microwave too).
9. Add peanut butter, stirring well.
10. Add other seasonings, according to personal taste.

I like to serve it over white rice. yum!

Irish Potatoes

Today I went on a bike ride to a bunch of local breweries [link] led by my former roommate, Jesse. As we were riding around the city, we witnessed so many crowds of people decked out all in green shouting around the city. Obviously, St. Patrick’s day must have something to do with it. Then it got me thinking… maybe I should make Irish Potatoes!

Here’s the recipe I used:

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners’ sugar
1 bag (7 oz.) (about 2 1/2 c.) flaked coconut
Ground cinnamon

Cream together the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat in the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar, then mix in the coconut. Roll mixture between hands to form walnut-sized balls. Roll balls in cinnamon and refrigerate until firm.

I like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cinnamon to give it a little extra zing.