how french is that?

i distinctly remember the exact moment when i became parisian.

- david lebovitz

quite a few times while reading "the sweet life in paris" by david lebovitz, i had to resist multiple urges to roll my eyes and sigh out aloud, even throw the book across the room - mr. lebovitz's writing style is hard to miss, unlike anything i've seen. he admittedly terms himself a a snotty french wannabe. he often offers either an explanataion or an apology immediately afterward. again, i had to resist these urges; "wouldn't it be considered too french?" is it that bad that i morphed myself into thinking just like him?

i wondered as the author dedicated more than 10 pages to the rudeness of french. quelle horreur!

but the recipes. the recipes! they were the reason i got through the book. le chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) made from scratch on page 92 is mouth-watering and so easy to make. i don't know why i hadn't thought of it before...

i halfway succeeded in a can of homemade dulce de leche, and i will be trying that for the dulce de leche brownies (page 268). another recipe that caught my attention is called fig-olive tapenade on page 124 when the author "use[s] dark kalamata olives" (the book got better after that) and "pita bread points that have been brushed with spiced oil, then toasted until crisp" (take me home, please!) that sentence alone scored extra points for the author - it took me back home where pita bread is among the delicacy in daily eating habits.

i give this a 6.75 on the scale of 0 (absolutely cook-awful) and 10 (absolutely ex-cook-lent).

happy hearty beef stew

a few months ago, i went to a wine tasting after work and i met the bartender, edwin, at the bistro. when i inquired about the beef stew he served to other patrons at the bistro, he was nothing but extremely patient and helpful to walk me through the recipe (below). he took his time as i quickly scribbled down his instructions. afterward, i shared with edwin that i host a foodie/cooking blog, and he was thrilled to hear that.

with that i promised to bring some of that beef stew and share with him. i must also credit him for this recipe.

but, i wanted to try another recipe i found on allrecipes.com called Hearty Beef Stew. i then made some adjustments.

happy hearty beef stew (adapted)
ingredients
1 lb cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 potatoes, cubed
1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (tear into pieces)

directions
1) place beef stew meat into a heavy bottom stock pot
2) mix together flour, paprika, salt, and pepper
3) sprinkle over beef stew meat, stirring to coat
4) coat in beef broth, teriyaki sauce, onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, garlic and bay leaf
5) cover and cook on MEDIUM 3 hours, stirring occasionally

edwin's beef stew
ingredients
beef for stew
kosher salt
white pepper
2 cups flour
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
dry thyme
4 pearl onions (1/2 of a regular sized onion is fine)
1/2 can tomato paste
carrots
potatoes
water
no bigger than half an inch in a pan oil

directions
1) cover beef in flour thoroughly
2) "fry" beef in the oil pan until brown
3) dry beef - let them drip into paper towel placed on a plate
4) put garlic in a pot before adding thyme and onion
5) add water to barely cover the beef
6) add tomato paste, allow it to come to a boil
7) if the beef isn't ready, give it 20 more minutes
8) once ready, add carrots and potatoes
9) away from the pot, mix water and flour to make a spoonful of a paste to be added to the pot
10) simmer and cover
11) serve!

tip: why it's a bad idea to measure dry ingredients in a liquid measuring cup

if you have flour in a liquid measuring cup, you have to shake or knock it on a counter to create a level line; by doing this, the flour will become compacted and you will end up with more than the recipe calls for. use dry measuring cups like this. thanks, realsimple!

which recipe did i use? i was torn between both, tomato paste or teriyaki sauce? i decided to go with the first one which i incorporated part of edwin's recipe. result? SUCCESS! i had some for lunch today...

changes to come!

only earlier last week, you guys have surpassed my goal of total page views which i had made it be so by the end of february - THANK YOU! but I would very much like to hear your feedback. only that can help me be a better blogger. 


however, in coming times, you guys will see some changes as i've been doing extensive "homework" for the blog - thanks, problogger! i'm v. excited about the changes that are about to take place (possibly a newsletter, adding twitter, working on a logo design for the blog, as well as continuing my blog research - in print and electronic). please visit again soon. as a first-time blogger, i'm very enthusiastic and open to any feedback - i'd LOVE to hear your thoughts!


upcoming: hearty beef stew

get poppin' with tha popovers!

saw this in a real simple magazine, thought i'd give it a try. unfortunately, my oven lacks a light so i had to wait till the timer went off after 30 minutes. result? slightly burnt but still as good!

popovers (adapted)

ingredients
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
PAM spray for the cooking tray
1 1/2 cup 2% milk
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp kosher salt

directions
1) heat the oven to 400 degrees F
2) spray the muffin tin tray with PAM
3) in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, butter and salt until only a few lumps remain
4) divide the batter among the cups
5) bake until puffed and a deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes
6) serve!

credit: realsimple


i definitely need an oven temperature, and it'd have helped tremenously if i wasn't stuck with this two-decades-old oven sans oven light...

a quote

all the parts of the world by this decree are arranged in pairs, and each loves its mate.
- rumi

oh, my pasta pomodoro!

upon handing a plate to dave, i explained the recipe looked really good that i was willing to overlook the fact it was in a weight loss issue of people magazine. he nodded in agreement.

pasta pomodoro (adapted)

ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 tsp oregano
1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 lb dry spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine
a few basil leaves
1/4 cup grated grana padano (or any hard italian cheese)

directions
1) heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
2) add garlic to be sauteed until golden brown (at least 2 minutes)
3) add tomatoes
4) while the tomato sauce is simmering over very low heat for 30 minutes, you can get started on cooking pasta in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water according to instructions

oo - tomato sauce!

5) if the tomato sauce is ready, season with salt, pepper and oregano. reserve
6) once when pasta is ready, drain and add to reserved tomato sauce. finish cooking pasta, 2 to 3 minutes, adding 1/4 cup of pasta water (DO NOT discard pasta water!)
7) divide among 4 plates and garnish with basil leaves and grated cheese
8) serve!

note: nowhere in the original recipe did it inquire when to add oregano, so i decided to improvise and add oregano where it calls for salt and pepper. i loved the fact that i was able to recycle pasta water; if adding water from the tap, it may take longer for the final entree to be finished. pasta water was already at the right temperature, and my water bill didn't have to climb any higher!

you might like to hear that this is only 378 calories! dave suggested adding ground beef next time, i agree - i will remember to cook meat and sauce separately until the meat is ready to be added to the reserved sauce. i used parmesan cheese instead of grana padano - i couldn't find it anywhere in the supermarket. parmesan is italian, right?

right, parmesan, known as parmigiano-reggiano, is a hard granular cheese and the closest legitimate italian cheese to grana padano. whew, i feel so much better after this recent discovery. i struggled too about the difference between crushed and minced garlic - to crush garlic cloves, you will need a garlic press; to mince garlic cloves, you will need a knife. see the step-by-step video. for this egyptian-american, two cloves garlic is just not enough; i pitched in an extra one.

when i proceeded to hand dave his plate, i stopped in my tracks only to go get his bottle of sri racha. dave loves anything spicy - i can't even tolerate a speckle of spicy food.

with a glass of moscato

credit: joe bastianich 

why wait for the summer?

every week, "What Should I Cook?" will spotlight a guest with a recipe; i hope this will be successful in getting different unique angles and bringing the community together. interested? please shoot me an e-mail describing your cooking style, preferences, and a recipe you wish to share with a picture. 

Cory Brim of Sugar Rim Bar, a dear friend of mine, who did a fabulous job MC’ing at dave’s and my wedding – has devised a drink recipe for you guys. This looks so delicious; I’m definitely gonna try it out! 

Cory:
Often times, people overcomplicate drinks. I believe that simple is still the best way to enjoy making cocktails for family and friends. One of my most popular drinks is an “Adult Fruit Punch.” The reason I love this recipe is because it’s easy to make, taste delicious, and everyone enjoys it. You don’t have to wait till the summer to make it! I’ve hosted hundreds of events, and it is by far a crowd favorite. It’s one of those drinks that you can enjoy and not have to worry about waking up the next day with a headache.


adult fruit punch
ingredients
Half of a Watermelon
Diced Strawberries
Limes
Lemons
Half of a Pineapple
Equal parts Cranberry, Pineapple, and Orange Juice (the amounts depend on the size of your container)
Grenadine
As much Light Rum as your body can handle J
Sprite or Ginger Ale to top it off (just for a fiz)


directions
Stir and let it sit for a few hours. Pretty soon the fresh fruit and the juice will combine to make an incredible Punch that you can enjoy for hours! Once the container is empty you can eat the leftover fruit.

wow

Please “like” Cory’s Sugar Rim Bar Facebook page and add @SugarRimBar on Twitter; don’t forget to send us your pictures of the drink, and tell us what you think!

be nice

Because it is the new year. because this is the time to make resolutions. because one of most people's resolutions is to be nice. because January 9-13 is the 'be nice on the Internet' week, "what should i cook?" will be paying homage to other blogs and recommending what recipes to try.

please be assured this isn't a food review blog but purely an exploration of my experiences in a kitchen albeit a very brief start. if you have a recipe you would like to share, please shoot me an e-mail. of course, i will always take the consideration to credit those whoever comes up with it. I admit, a few of my recipes come from a long-kept folder, which means the source may be forever lost. If you recognize a recipe from somewhere being printed on the blog, please shoot me an e-mail.

as a first-timer, should you see any errors, typos, or a grammatically-incorrect term/sentence, please shoot me an e-mail.

now, let's start showing some cook-love!

in jennie's kitchen - my sister got me hooked on this site; a chef-turned-mom dealing with the unexpected loss of her husband - as i read her posts, i just cannot stop the tears rolling down my cheeks. her recipes are plastered all over the site in tribute to the love of her life. beautiful writing, and i cannot wait for her books to be published.

my life in a pyramid - thanks to a friend who told me there was another heba with a blog! her site, full of healthy food suggestions and recipes, is a must-read. be sure to check out her midEATS - fabulous.

smitten kitchen - a wife-and-husband team with fantastic, innovative recipes. check out their book!

what katie ate - look at these pictures! this is actually a foodie photography blog, a perfect combination. i simply cannot wait to try her mini egg benedict canapes recipe. simply brilliance!

orangette - in dealing with her father's sudden death, she decided to drop out of graduate school and pursue her one of her loves, cooking. she moved to paris, and met a guy who would later be her husband. i first saw her in a magazine of food blogs. a must-read. check her book out too.

twenty paper links - millions of awesome DIY ideas!

the world is full of surprises - of course, i kept the best till the last! i give you my sister's blog; a photography site.

now, what are your blog loves? share some links with us!

upcoming: why wait for the summer?

winter bird snow globes

I started on this project on a rainy day, and it was such a hit! I originally wanted to do my version of anthropologie’s Xmas tree snowglobes but could not find any tiny trees at Michaels the day before Xmas eve. for obvious reasons…

frustrated but reluctant to give up at 10 p.m. (yes, the store was open that late), I decided to stroll around the store and came across those beautiful birds – right there, I had my answer!

this makes for wonderful Xmas (or year round) gifts; you can substitute Xmas trees with anything else in coinciding with seasons (think tiny falling leaves with fall theme; falling flowers with spring theme; or flying daffodils with summer). water isn’t recommended for some products so making these snow globes with caution is probably the best way. i opted not to use water with birds for the design on these birds may unravel over time.

What you will need:

glue gun

glue stick

tiny birds (or trees)

wide mouth mason jars (any jars would do fine, but the mouth should be wide enough to allow the centerpieces through)

eco-friendly cotton flurries

tissue paper or some kind of fabric to cover the lid

hemp ribbon

tiny branches (can be any size, but be sure of the sizing)

What you will do:

1) wash the jar and lid thoroughly. make sure the jar is free of any residue, cracks, holes, and smell

2) using a glue gun, glue the bird on the branch. Position as desired – work your way by making sure they can fit inside the mouth of the jar (do not glue to the jar!) before adding more items (i.e. more birds or such)

3) once finished gluing the bird (or more) to the branch, position the branch on the inside lid. Once again, make sure it fits through the mouth. Glue the branch on the inside lid

4) while the glue on the branch is drying, add flurries inside the jar. 1 ½ or 2 inches of flurries should be sufficient.

5) check the glue on branch before turning it upside down to be inserted through the mouth of the mason jar. Gun-glue the inside of lid to the jar mouth before screwing it tight closed

6) turn the jar back to its right place, and watch the flurries “snow” on the bird!

7) no, you’re not done yet. Stick glue the lid to tissue paper or fabric to make a pretty coating. (I had a claussen pickle jar and used this tactic to hide the label)

8) tie the tissue paper (or fabric) with hemp ribbon; glue the ribbon once tied so it stays put.

9) cut off excessive tissue paper.

Ta-da!!

an anniversary picture

a month and a day ago, dave and i celebrated our very first wedding anniversary. here's a picture!

Raj Singh Photography

upcoming: winter bird snow globes

made from scratch pancakes and a wink

"your cooking is very, very, very, very better."

- don juan with a wink

there it is, the wink. this don juan is my 6-year-old nephew. the wink, which stopped me in midst of conversation with my sister during breakfast. the wink, that took place this morning, just less than an hour ago. 

incredulous, i looked at my sister who roared in laughter, "did he just wink at me?" 

as i reminisced, i remember his head slowly tilting like a "come hither" look and there it is, the wink. this don juan had just enjoyed my "made from scratch" pancakes. 

I didn’t have buttermilk; i didn’t want to spend money on a half a gallon of buttermilk then using so little of it for a recipe. So I decided to look up online for a buttermilk substitute.

Buttermilk substitute

ingredients

Milk (one cup)

1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice

directions

1) place a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup

2) add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line

3) let stand for five minutes

4) use as much as your recipe calls for

credit: frugalliving.about.com

this pancake recipe calls for three cup of buttermilk, so I started with one cup, then add two tablespoons to two cup of buttermilk to the mixture.

please be noted the batter needs to be made the night before!

Made from scratch pancakes

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons fine salt

3 cups buttermilk (the one I substituted with above recipe)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more butter for cooking

6 organic large eggs

up to 1 cup milk, as needed to thin the batter

grade A maple syrup

directions

1) whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl

2) whisk the buttermilk (substitute), butter, and eggs together in another bowl

3) add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking just enough to combine (small lumps are okay)

4) let the batter sit, covered, overnight (i opted to put the batter in the fridge)

in the morning

5) heat up the griddle or nonstick pan and slick with some butter

6) add enough milk to the batter to thin it (not a specific measurement, but play with your ear - see how much works for you)

after adding milk to thin the batter

7) cook the pancakes on the griddle, flipping them after bubbles appear on the surface of the uncooked side

see the bubbles?

8) let cook 2-3 more minutes

9) remove, and serve with warm maple syrup

to play with: add blueberries, strawberries, or sprinkles to the batter in the morning. be creative with your cookie cutters (be sure these things have handles on them - easy to remove)! put some batter in small bowls and add food coloring to make it exciting for your kids. invite your kids to watch the bubbles appear and be the referee when the pancakes are ready - "flip time!"

now, let's see if this recipe gets you some winks.

credit: my father's daughter