my kitchen/snapshot: almost cobb salad

I love cobb salad, but it's seems like a tough salad to find done right in Taipei. I had good luck at Gordon Biersch with their seafood version, but this week I had many of the ingredients on hand to make one at home- tomatoes, ham, cucumbers, avocado, hard boiled egg, cheese, romaine.

Almost all the ingredients- next time I need to buy and crumble up some bacon and blue cheese.

my kitchen: hello kitty sugar cookies

Ever since I bought the trio of pink Hello Kitty baking supplies, I've been experimenting and every cookie, cake, biscuit and even cornbread has been kitty-fied.

This past weekend, I made sugar cookies from a Pillsbury Funfetti Cookie Mix that my sister got for me. I liked how the dough stayed relatively firm compared to the recipes that I've tried in the past in which the dough seemed to become soft and sticky very quickly and not stay firm enough to peel off the cut shapes. It helped to flour the surface generously and work quickly.

This cookie cutter is actually meant for toast so it's quite large and makes a cookie bigger than my palm. The cutter is in two pieces, so it helps to push firmly on the outline and not so hard on the inside one (with eyes ears and bowtie) otherwise the bowtie and right ear are perforated from the rest of the head. I've also seen cookie cutters that have the whole Hello Kitty body and has legs that you can use to "prop" up the cookie and make the Hello Kitty stand.

I decorated the cookies before baking them with Wilton Pink, Red and Blue Sparkle Gels. I found out that the gels don't dry and stay in place the way typical cookie icing, or royal icing, does. I found out the hard way when I decorated cookies and everything smeared during the transport. But it was an accident that I decorated my christmas cookies a few years ago before baking them and found out the gel hardened like a candied texture so that I could bag up the cookies for giving away.

Want to see my other Hello Kitty creations?

my kitchen: cabbage apple peanut slaw

When I was a kid, I wouldn't eat coleslaw. I think I found something off-putting about the goopy mayo that it often came loaded with and sometimes the occasional raisin. Ick. But sometime in the post-college, nicer-dinner-restaurants years, I ate grown up versions that cut out the mayo and were fresh and tasty. So now I find it one of my favorite salads to make at home- crispy shreds of raw cabbage, slivers of carrots, strips of apple and a handful of fried peanuts all tossed in my favorite miso dressing with a dash of mustard- that is fast and easy and delivers satisfying crunch and sweetness.

my kitchen: French toast

My new favorite for french toast is using the French baguette toast loaf from Donq in Xinyi Mitsukoshi, A8. Perfect with fat slices and airy pockets to soak up the milk.

Ever since spotting the chef at the Le Meridian buffet soak the slices in milk only first, then egg mixture, I discovered a new favorite. Soaking the bread in milk first ensures a moist bite, without having to worry if the egg is cooked through. Dusting it with powdered sugar by tapping some through a strainer, if you have it on hand, makes it look more dressed up without a lot of effort.

My kitchen: couscous salad

I was so happy to spot couscous on the pasta shelf at Carrefour. I hadn't seen it before, but hopefully i'll find it the next time. I ended up making it for lunch today right after buying it.

A couple tips that I found worked well after searching recipes online.

1- I toasted the couscous before boiling it, using a touch of olive oil and medium low heat. Stir a couple times or it might burn. This reminded me of how I'd do this with Rice A Roni. After a minute, I'd just add the hot liquid directly in the pot. I used chicken stock today and think it definitely adds a layer of flavor that water doesn't. 1 1/2 cup water/stock to 1 cup couscous. It really does cook in five minutes and look fluffy after stirred up with a fork.

2- Chop up whatever you want to add. I used grape tomatoes, olives and cucumber. If I had some, I'd use sundried tomatoes too.

3- I adapted a recipe I found online from Bon Appetit, June 2006: 1/2 tsp diced garlic, 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp mustard, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt/pepper to taste- stir together to use as a dressing for couscous. I was thinking about using wasabi instead of mustard next time. Drizzle onto couscous and top with veggies. I ate it warm, but could be served as a cold salad too.

Next time I want to try making the box of quinoa that's been in my pantry!

My kitchen: hello kitty candy from butterscotch chips

When I saw these Hello Kitty silicone molds a few days ago at the Sanrio store, I couldn't resist! Cheaper (and hopefully better tasting) than eating at Hello Kitty Sweets and endless possibilities. I was surprised when the sales person said they were for the microwave- I guess because people in Japan and Taiwan don't often have ovens in their homes so they bake using their microwaves.

So the next few nights I spent googling "microwave cakes" and "microwave silicone molds" to see if I could use regular cake mix or if I had to adjust the recipe. Found too many different recipes so I still have to experiment. I considered making jello or almond jello, brownies or cake cookies or using pancake batter.

In the end, I decided to try to melt down some butterscotch chips I had.

First, I used a paper towel and wiped the mold with vegetable oil. This was a tip I read that said would help prep the mold and make it easier for the candies to pop out.



Next I put a layer of chips in each pocket and microwaved it for a minute at high then 20 second intervals. I stirred it but it was a creamy consistency, not runny and I was afraid of burning it, so I spread it around. I also dropped the tray a few times to try to get air bubbles out but I think it was too thick to make a difference. I tried to make them thin, but to get the shape it still had to have some depth.

Then I popped it in the freezer for about five minutes. When they were hard, I popped one out to try- since I didn't make it super thick, the ears broke off quite easily. Also there were tiny air pockets on most of them.

I even tried remelting them over a double boiler on the stove but the consistency was like peanut butter.

Not bad for my first try and it was pretty easy. Need some work to make it pretty and less sweet though! Next time I'll use a stainless steel pan and try adding heavy cream or butter and a pinch of sea salt. I also some some ideas for putting a layer of ice cream to make little ice cream balls, or cake mixed with frosting to make sort of reverse cake balls. Lots to play with!

Anyone have any good microwave cake mix or experience with detailed silicone molds?

my kitchen: red velvet cupcakes

Happy Valentine's Day!

Giving some lovin' to myself with my favorite red velvet with cream cheese frosting. Not from scratch, but homemade, tasty and sparkly (thanks to my sister who couldn't resist bringing me pink sprinkles from LA).

my kitchen: cookie brownies from a box

Cookie brownies are for those with a serious sweet tooth, as the combination of the two is a bit over the top for me, even with a glass of milk.

If you can't find this box and want to try it, just scoop spoonfuls of your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough onto your favorite brownie recipe and you can achieve the same effect.

my kitchen: happy turkey day!

A snapshot of last year's Thanksgiving in Taipei where I took the time to make all the sides that I loved to go with the smoked turkey that a relative ordered- corn, garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing, sauteed mushrooms and candied yams'. This year, I'm trying Thanksgiving dinner with a group of friends at a place I'm hoping doesn't disappoint... If it doesn't hit the spot, I'm going to be busy trying out my friend's sweet potato casserole recipe and baking some cornbread Friday.



Figuring out last minute options for turkey dinner in Taipei this year? Check out what the Taipei Times suggests with its handy list, or you can call up some of the restaurants I've listed in the past posts...

What places have you guys tried for Thanksgiving dinner out or where do you get stuff for making it at home (canned pumpkin? cornbread mix? recipes for your favorite thanksgiving side?) or is it too much work (and expensive) trying to celebrate such an American holiday in Taipei?

my kitchen: elmo and cookie monster cupcakes

Who doesn't love Elmo and Cookie Monster? And who doesn't love cupcakes? So when I first saw Elmo cupcakes on justJENN last year, I made a mental bookmark, as well as shot my sister an email to find me some red sanding sugar in LA. (Where to get it? Surfas in Culver City is a good place to start, or their online store.) I guess when she spotted the perfect blue for Cookie Monster, she bought that as well for me to bring back to Taipei, as well some white chocolate chips and smaller chocolate chips.

So when there was a chance to make them for an Elmo lover this past spring, I put my handiwork to the test.

The steps are fairly straightforward- you just need to do some prep work for the eyes and mouths before hand. And for Elmo's nose, I used some marshmallows I had and cut them into shape.. Otherwise you could use orange jellybeans or soft candies.

stuff you'll need:

cupcakes
vanilla or cream cheese frosting
red/blue sanding sugar (or food coloring)
white chocolate discs (or marshmallows)
mini chocolate chips
orange marshmallows (or gummi drops or jelly beans)
oreo cookies


1. First, let the baked cupcakes cool down and frost them! Use vanilla or cream cheese frosting as I tried it with chocolate at first and the colors came out too dark. (See the first picture of the two pairs! The top is with chocolate frosting and the bottom with cream cheese).



2. While the cupcakes are cooling, pour the sanding sugar into two plates so you can dip the frosted cupcakes onto it. Also, cut off the nibs of the chocolate chips and use frosting to "glue" the chocolate onto the white chocolate. You could also use marshmallows for the white of the eyes. I also tried using a food coloring marker I had bought, but it didn't work as well. Then take apart oreo cookies and break each side in half. I scraped off the cream, but I guess you could use that as "glue" as well.



3. Assemble! Dip in colored sanding sugar, add eyes, mouth and for Elmo, a bright orange nose, using a touch of frosting underneath to make sure it sticks. Could be fun to do with friends or kids too...

For Cookie Monster, have the eyes be off center and in different directions.



4. And you're ready to party!



One thing is to be patient and be sure to let the cupcakes cool down completely. I think I rushed some of them and they were still not totally cool and the next day the sugar had sort of melted and some of the faces slid away from what they were supposed to look like. :( Or the humidity in Taipei. Or don't cover and seal them like I did in the cupcake holder until you're ready to go.

But we stuck them in the fridge for a little bit and the cupcakes were still a hit and though quite sweet with all the sugar and chocolate, super cute!

Happy halloween this weekend!

my kitchen: chocolate cupcakes

I have yet to find any cupcakes in Taipei that I like better than the ones that come out of my own oven. Granted it's from a box and frosted out of a can, but I love playing with piping the frosting and making it look fancy. It's actually super easy to do once you have the right tools (I picked up a Wilton 12 Piece Cupcake Decorating Set from City Super at Fuxing Sogo). Look at the difference almost four years makes- my cupcakes from 2006.

Next time I might try sprinkling a teeny bit of sea salt on top and seeing if it tastes as good as sea salt chocolate bars.

my kitchen: christmas cookies

When a friend asked me if I wanted to make Christmas cookies together, I jumped at the chance. I always wanted to, but never was motivated enough to do it. She made the dough the night before, I had the oven/baking supplies and the sprinkles/icing (from LA) and we both had a mini-spree to get cookie cutters from CitySuper, so we were all set.



She wasn't able to find shortening, so she just substituted butter, but it made the dough quite soft. Despite being in the fridge overnight, our dough would get too soft to work with. So we stuck the batch in the freezer when we weren't working with it, which made it nice and firm to roll out and cut cleanly to decorate and put on the tray.



I loved this icing from LA which made it super easy to decorate. Why can't we find this stuff in Taipei- or can my baking readers divulge where the stash is in this city? If you're having trouble finding sprinkles, you can order the ones I have - Wilton 6 Color Christmas Sprinkle Mix from Amazon.com. It's an awesome combo that you can use for eyes/buttons, general sprinkling.

Mmmm, cookies baking in the oven are awesome and it's actually my first time making Christmas cookies! (Not counting the time that I _watched_ my friend L make a ton of different amazing Christmas cookies in high school).



I realized after looking through these pictures, I could have taken cuter photos, but it's okay- I was too busy decorating and eating to art direct. Next time! :)



Here are a few of the cute ones, packaged up and ready to be eaten by friends.




Merry Christmas everyone!! Hope you're having a holly, jolly holiday whether you're in Taipei or reading from somewhere else around the world. :)

my kitchen: brownies from a box

Anyone else caught off guard with the sudden cold turn of the weather? It was so grey and dreary this afternoon I needed to bake something to warm up the house, and my sweet tooth.

The quickest way? Brownies out of the box. (Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge today)

My last box from LA. I might have to give the ones from Costco a try next.

MMMM- hot out of the oven, the top part of a cake-like brownie is my favorite. Having a small slice before dinner.

my kitchen: bunny & bear hard boiled eggs mold

Who wouldn't want to eat cute hard boiled eggs?

And it's not that much more trouble than boiling the eggs, peeling them and putting them in the molds in ice water for a few minutes to set the shape. The longer you let them set, the better the shape will hold, but five minutes should be enough. Also, I rinsed the eggs in cool water before peeling them- otherwise the eggshells are hot and can be hard to peel.



I was too excited to see if it was really going to work to take pictures of the "before" of the eggs... after all, y'all know what plain hard boiled eggs look like right?!



Add a little salt and pepper and you're good to go! Or be a kid again and play with your food a little bit before you eat it.



You can also buy fish/car molds, or splurge on a Hello Kitty one.




I will probably end up buying the Hello Kitty one someday soon. Some hard boiled Hello Kitty eggs to go with my cheese sandwiches from my Hello Kitty sandwich maker.

Because, you know, Hello Kitty makes it taste better. LOL

my kitchen/news: oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Thank goodness for ovens and Betty Crocker. I love freshly baked cookies out of the oven. I think I must have eaten at least three yesterday... and two more this morning.



I also have been drooling over the tastespotting.com and the archives of justjenn whose rants and raves cracks me up.


from justjennrants.blogspot.com

I love the Hello Kitty cupcakes, firetruck and dinosaur cookies, and crazy creativity she has in her baking and decorating and sense of humor in her writing. I definitely want to try a lot of stuff she's made someday- if only I could get over my fear of fondant.

Also, this is what I call service... do you think the Far Eastern hotel will keep the burgers and steaks supersized after the visiting NBA players leave? And while the players get taken to all the required touristy spots this week- do you think they'll get taken to a night market? That's where I'd want to go!

my kitchen/japanese: cute seaweed smiley faces from HANDS TAILUNG

Have you ever seen those pictures of those really creative bentos? Just google "cute Japanese bento" and you'll see what I mean. So when I happened upon the plethora of kawaii! plastic goodies from Japan at Hands Tailung, I oohed and aahed and giggled.

You could make Winnie the Pooh or Hello Kitty shaped toast...



Bear, bunny, fish or car shaped hard boiled eggs...



Or as you could see up top, smiley faces for your rice balls, inari sushi or whatever the heck you want.



You can see which one I picked. I would have bought more, but the Sogo price was a bit steeper than I would have liked to have paid.

Not that creative? You could just put the food in a kawaii bento box and be done with it.



For all my panda friends...



When I was a kid growing up in Indiana and Southern California, my lunch was leftovers from dinner before, usually rice and veggies and some meat. Other kids would say, what's that? Sometimes in curiosity and sometimes in faux disgust. I remember trading nori seaweed strips for Doritos.

But then I worked in my elementary school's cafeteria as a student helper in exchange for free lunch everyday and giving extra crinkle cut french fries to my friends. I ended up growing up on sloppy joes, country fried steak, pepperoni pizza lunches and 15 cent ice cream sandwiches, in addition to the fried dumplings and braised pork and mushrooms over rice my parents would make for dinner.

So making these smiley faces brings out the kid in me...



Sure you could spend hours cutting them out by hand, but a sharp punch is much faster... Just punch, punch, punch and assemble. You could also mix and match the eyes and smiles. You could use a regular craft punch too, but I've never seen smiley face ones before.

When I make the boiled eggs, I'll give it a post as well. I ended up buying these at a much cheaper price at a little discount store on ZhongXiao near Pizza Hut that I like to shop at.

You can find a lot of other cute and random stuff here that you never knew you needed- browse at your own risk.

HANDS TAILUNG

Breeze Center
No. 39 FuXing S Rd, Sec. 1, 6F
(02)8772-1105

Xinyi Mistsukoshi A4, 5F
No. 19, Song Gao Rd
(02)2723-8050

Nan-Xi Mitsucoshi
No. 12 NangJing W Rd, 9F
(02)2563-0080

ZhongXiao Sogo
No. 45, ZhongXiao E Rd, Sec 4,10F
(02)2771-8007

TienMu Sogo department store
No77, Zhong-Shan N Rd, Sec 6,7F
(02)2838-27289