KOA

Dream Whip Butter Frosting

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A vintage recipe from an envelope of Dream Whip.  A rich butter frosting!  Vanilla, lemon, or orange  – make your favorite flavor for cupcakes or use for filling in chocolate cups.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3  c cold milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 (1 1/3 oz) envelope Dream Whip
  • 1 lb powdered’ sugar
  • 2 Tab milk
  • 3 Tab butter, softened

Instructions:  

  1. Combine 1/3 cup milk, vanilla, and Dream Whip in large bowl.
  2. Add half of sugar.
  3. Blend well.
  4. Whip rapidly until thickened–about 2 minutes.
  5. At medium speed alternately add remaining sugar and milk.
  6. Beat after each addition.
  7. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well.

Serves:   2 3/4 cups, enough for 8- or 9-inch layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

Source:  Genius Kitchen

.Lemon or Orange frosting
Prepare as above; omit vanilla and substitute 2 tablespoons lemon or orange juice for
the 2 tablespoons milk. Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind after beating in
butter.

Bisquick Plum Cobbler

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This is about as basic as you can get!  It also works with fresh peaches, apricots, etc,  and canned pie fillings.   Add a little brown sugar over the top to get a little caramelization on the top of the crust. It’s definitely not necessary, but it is pleasant.  Top with whipped cream or ice cream for added calories.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c Bisquick
  • ½ c sugar
  • ½ c milk
  • 1 Tbs butter, cubed
  • 4 – 6 plums, sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375⁰.
  2. Layer the sliced plums on the bottom of an 8”x8”x2” baking pan.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the bisquick, sugar and milk.
  4. Pour mixture over the fruit.
  5. Top with the butter.
  6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Serves:    4

Source:  A Garlic Goddess

Gyuniku Teriyaki Beef Skewers

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When these Teriyaki Skewers are sizzling on your grill, the aroma will make everyone around you stop what they’re doing and come for a taste.

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 lb boneless, beef top sirloin, about 1-inch thick
  • 1/2 c teriyaki marinade & sauce
  • 2 Tab sugar
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tab vegetable oil
  • parsley – chopped
  • sesame seeds
  • short skewers

Directions:

  1. Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes
  2. Cut beef across grain into 1/2-inch thick strips, then into 1-inch squares.  If you’re having trouble slicing the steak thin, plate it in the freezer for 10 minutes before hand to make slicing easier.
  3. Combine teriyaki sauce and sugar in measuring cup, stirring until sugar dissolves.
  4. Remove 3 Tbsp. of mixture and pour over beef in large plastic food storage bag.
  5. Press air out of bag; close top securely.
  6. Turn bag over several times to coat pieces well.
  7. Marinate 15 minutes
  8. .Meanwhile, add enough water to remaining teriyaki sauce mixture to measure 2/3 cup.
  9. Blend in cornstarch.
  10. Heat and stir until thickened
  11. Skewer 3 – 4 beef cubes on each skewer.
  12. Grease the grate of the broiler/wire rack (or oven-safe cooling rack) to avoid the meat sticking on the grate.
  13. Place the skewers on top.
  14. Set the broiler to high and wait until the heating elements are hot.
  15. Broil for 3 minutes.
  16. Once one side has browned, turn over and grill until barely cooked through to the center.
  17. Baste with some sauce and lightly grill once more.
  18. Continue to broil for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
  19. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and sesame seeds.

Servings: 15-20 skewers

Source: A riff onKikkoman

Yaki Tori Chicken

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Marinade in a savory sweet sauce, these chicken and scallion skewers (Negima) are hard to resist! It’s great for grilling outdoor or under the broiler.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders (at room temperature)
  • 9 green onions/scallions
  • neutral flavor oil
  • 1/2 c soy sauce
  • 1/2 c mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)
  • 1/4 c sake
  • 1/4 c water
  • 2 tsp brown sugar (packed)
  • short bamboo skewers

Directions:

  1. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.
  2. In a small saucepan, add the mirin, soy sauce, sake, water, brown sugar, and the green part of 1 scallion.
  3. Bring it to a boil over high heat.
  4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half. It will take about 30 minutes. The sauce will be thicker and glossy.
  5. Let it cool to room temperature before using.
  6. Reserve 1/3 of the sauce in a small bowl for final coating.  (If the sauce for final coating came in contact with the raw chicken, you have to need to boil the sauce again to avoid contamination.)
  7. Cut the chicken into 1/2 thick, 1 in square chunks.
  8. Season with salt.
  9. Cut the white and light green part of scallions into 1 inch pieces.
  10. On a flat work surface, fold each slice of chicken in half.
  11. Insert skewer into chicken at 45 degrees angle, and press down on the skewer to pierce thorough the center.
  12. Alternate each chicken slice with a piece of scallion lined up perpendicular to the skewer. Each skewer will hold about 4 chicken slices and 3 scallion pieces.
  13. Grease the grate of the broiler/wire rack (or oven-safe cooling rack) to avoid the chicken sticking on the grate.
  14. Place the skewers on top.
  15. Set the broiler to high and wait until the heating elements are hot.
  16. Broil for 6 minutes.
  17. Once one side has browned, turn over and grill until cooked through to the center.
  18. Baste with some sauce and lightly grill once more.
  19. Continue to broil for 3-4 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
  20. Transfer the skewers to a serving plate and brush the chicken on top with the reserved sauce (with a clean brush).

Serves:   11 – 12 skewers

Source:  Just One Cookbook

Authentic Chinese Steamed Fish

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Steamed whole fish is a classic dish in Chinese home cooking. It uses very few ingredients to bring out the great flavor of fresh fish. The fresh ginger and green onion help eliminate any fishiness. The seasoned soy sauce adds a bit of sweet and savory umami to the dish. The fish is cooked with a steamer for the shortest amount of time, so that the finished meat is tender, silky and moist.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lb fresh, head-on sea bass (tilapia, flounder, or other small, thin fish with white flesh) scaled, gutted. (Select very fresh fish. If the fish is fresh, it will have clear eyes and metallic scales. It shouldn’t have a fishy or stinky smell.}
  • 1 and 1/2 pieces thumb sized ginger, 1 thumb sliced, 1/2 thumb julienned
  • 1 c chopped green onion 2.5 inches in length
  • 2 Tab Shaoxing (rice) wine (or pale dry sherry)
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 Tab peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 dried chili peppers
  • 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn
  • 2 Tab seasoned soy sauce for seafood (you can use one part of regular soy sauce plus one part oyster sauce instead.)

Directions:

  1. Before cooking, make sure you have a plate and a skillet (or a wok) that are large enough to hold the fish. If not, you should cut the fish in two such that each piece is half the original length, so it can fit into the skillet.
  2. Wash the fish and  dry the fish thoroughly.
  3. Place a quarter of the green onions on the plate. The green onions will hold the fish so it won’t stick to the plate when cooked.
  4. Stuff ginger slices and a quarter of the green onions (white part) into the cavity of the fish.
  5. Rub both sides of the fish with sesame oil.
  6. Cover the fish with another quarter of the green onions.
  7. Pour Shaoxing wine over the fish.
  8. In a large, deep skillet (or steamer or wok), add half an inch of water and place a steaming basket (or flat bottomed strainer) upside down in the middle. If you don’t have steaming basket, place a pair of wooden chopstick, 4 inches apart, onto the bottom of a skillet as “feet” to hold the plate. You only need something to hold the plate off the bottom of the skillet and to make sure the water won’t spill onto the plate when steaming the fish.
  9. Cover and bring water to a boil over high heat.  Keep the heat as high as possible, so the fish will be cooked in the shortest amount of time.
  10. Carefully place the plate holding the fish onto the steaming basket.
  11. Cover and steam over high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until you can easily pull the flesh from the bone with a pair of chopsticks or a fork.  Check the doneness of the fish after 5 minutes.
  12. Stop heat immediately when fish is done.
  13. Carefully use a spatula to transfer the fish to another large plate.
  14. Use chopsticks to remove the ginger and green onion from inside and above the fish, and discard the used ginger and onion.
  15. Spread the remaining ginger strips and green onions on top of the fish and set aside.
  16. While fish is steaming prepare hot oil and seasoned soy sauce.
  17. In a wok or small skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.
  18. When the oil is warm, break chili peppers and add them, with the Sichuan peppercorns, into the oil.
  19. Stir with a spatula until fragrant, about 40 seconds.
  20. Turn to lowest heat, carefully scoop out the chili pepper and peppercorn, and discard them.
  21. Immediately drizzle the hot oil over the fish. You should hear the sizzling of the oil when it touches the fish.
  22. Immediately pour the seasoned soy sauce onto the fish.
  23. Serve warm. The fish won’t hold sauce very well, so make sure you dip the fish meat into the sauce from the plate when eating.

Serves:  2

Source:  Omnivore’s Cookbook

 

Faux Fried Rice

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The ultimate “clean-out-the-fridge” dish!

Use long grain rice for fried rice. Long grain rice holds its shape and stays separate when stir-fried. Jasmine is one choice because it has a delicate and light floral aroma, not too sticky when cooked, and slightly dry in texture, making it easy to maneuver in the pan. Medium-grain like Calrose or brown rice can be used, but incorporate when chilled or day old as it is stickier. Make sure to always wash the rice before cooking to remove excess starches on the surface, which can cause clumping.

Leftover cold rice is ideal to use because the grains are separate and cook easier in the pan or wok. That doesn’t mean that a fresh pot of rice can’t be used, especially when the craving hits. It only takes about an extra 20 minutes to prepare.  The key to fresh rice is allowing it to cool slightly before using. The cooling process can quickly be done by spreading the rice on a sheet pan at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes if you’re impatient. The rice should be cool to the touch before adding it to the pan.  It is not unheard of to use instant (Minute) rice.

To make a vegetable fried rice, add in leftover vegetables (corn, mushrooms, green beans and diced peppers are all great). If you’re looking to make chicken fried rice (or any protein at all) add any cooked meat found in the fridge.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tab oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 2 green onions sliced and separate white from green
  • 1 10 oz bag frozen peas and carrots (or 1 c – or so – leftover veggies)
  • 2 eggs whisked
  • 1 c chopped cooked chicken pork or shrimp (optional)
  • 3 Tabs soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 1/2 c cold cooked white rice

Directions: 

  1. Heat oil in a wok or nonstick pan over medium-high heat.  Make sure the pan or wok is nice and hot to give the best results.
  2. Add in garlic, ginger and the white portion of the green onions.
  3. Cook until fragrant.
  4. Add rice continue to cook until rice slightly crisped and brown. Don’t stir too much, you do want to get a little bit of caramelization.
  5. Make a large well in the center of the pan with the rice.
  6. Pour in the whisked eggs,soy sauce & sesame oil, and scramble until small curds form.
  7. Add carrots & peas  (and protein if using) cook until heated.Garnish with remaining green onion and sesame seeds if desired.

Servings: 6 servings

Source:   The 12 year old Vietnamese Boy Scouts at Family Camp one year.

Martini

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The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist.

Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages.  By 1922 the martini reached its most recognizable form in which London dry gin and dry vermouth are combined at a ratio of 2:1, stirred in a mixing glass with ice cubes, with the optional addition of orange or aromatic bitters, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass.  Over time the generally expected garnish became the drinker’s choice of a green olive or a twist of lemon peel.

A dry martini is made with dry, white vermouth.  Over the course of the century, the amount of vermouth steadily dropped. During the 1930s the ratio was 3:1 (gin to vermouth), and during the 1940s the ratio was 4:1. During the latter part of the 20th century, 6:1, 8:1, 12:1, 15:1, or even 50:1 or 100:1.  Some martinis were prepared by filling a cocktail glass with gin, then rubbing a finger of vermouth along the rim. There are those who advocated the elimination of vermouth altogether. According to Noël Coward, “A perfect martini should be made by filling a glass with gin, then waving it in the general direction of Italy”.

A dirty martini contains a splash of olive brine or olive juice and is typically garnished with an olive.   A perfect martini uses equal amounts of sweet and dry vermouth.  A martini may also be served on the rocks; that is, with the ingredients poured over ice cubes and served in an Old-Fashioned glass.

The exact origin of the martini is unclear. In 1863, an Italian vermouth maker started marketing their product under the brand name of Martini, after its director Alessandro Martini, and the brand name may be the source of the cocktail’s name.  Another popular theory suggests it evolved from a cocktail called the Martinez served sometime in the early 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, which people frequented before taking an evening ferry to the nearby town of Martinez, California. Alternatively, the people of Martinez say a bartender in their town created the drink, or maybe the drink was named after the town. Indeed, a “Martinez Cocktail” was first described in Jerry Thomas’ 1887 edition of his Bartender’s Guide, How to Mix All Kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks:

Source:  Wikipedia

The One True Martini – by my favorite martini drinker.

“Hearts full of youth! / Hearts full of truth! / Six parts gin to one part vermouth!” (Tom Lehrer)

and a twist of lemon.

 

Cherry (or Blueberry, or Lemon) Coffee Cake

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It also works (but not quite as well) with jam.  This freezes well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box yellow or white cake mix
  • 1/2 c oil
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 20 oz can cherry pie filling (or blueberry, or apple, or jar lemon curd mixed with 3 oz cream cheese)
  • 3 tsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 c powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Spray or butter a 15 x 10 x 1 pan.
  3. Mix cake mix, vegetable oil, water vanilla and eggs. You can either use a hand mixer or give it a really good stir.
  4. Set aside about 3/4 cup of cake dough.
  5. Spread the rest of the cake dough on the pan. It is a thin layer.
  6. Gently mush the cherries. Sometimes there is an odd pit in the canned cherries.
  7. Gently spread the cherry filling over the dough layer.
  8. Using a tablespoon, drop the dough you’ve set aside onto the cherry filling.
  9. Gently spread your ‘dough drops’.
  10. There should be gaps so you can see the cherry filling.
  11. Bake 25-30 minutes. Check with toothpick for doneness.
  12. Cool for about 1 hour.
  13. Mix powdered sugar, 3 tsp milk and vanilla.
  14. Drizzle on the cherry coffee cake.

Serves:   24 pieces 1x

Source: Momcrieff

Korean Barbecue Beef Skewers

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These Korean Barbecue Beef Skewers are made with a super simple marinade and grilled or broiled to perfection with that classic Korean Barbecue-inspired flavor!

Ingredients:

  • 4 small 3 oz. lean sirloin steaks (12 oz)
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1/3 c low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 c brown sugar
  • 1 Tab sesame seeds
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely diced
  • 1 Tab freshly grated ginger (use 2 teaspoons powdered ginger, if desired)
  • 1 tsp sriracha (or less, if serving to children)
  • 2 Tab honey
  • salt and pepper (if desired)
  • red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Soak wooden skewers in water.
  2. Pound the steaks with a meat tenderizer mallet gently until about half an inch thick.
  3. Slice the steaks lengthwise into long strips about 1.5 inches wide.
  4. Thread the steak strips onto metal or wooden skewers (about 2-3 strips per skewer, to make 6 skewers).
  5. Set aside.
  6. In a large, shallow baking dish or container combine the onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sriracha, honey, and salt and pepper.
  7. Whisk until well combined.
  8. Place the beef skewers in the marinade.
  9. Turn the skewers in the marinade until well coated.
  10. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for two hours or overnight.
  11. When ready to grill, place the beef skewers on a hot grill or griddle (outdoors or indoors) for no more than 5 minutes per side (it usually takes 5 minutes for the first side and then 3-4 minutes for the second side.
  12. Remove from the grill or griddle and let rest under foil for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves:  Makes 6 skewers

Source:  The Busy Baker

Rusty Nail Shake

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An adult milkshake!  And, I will bet you can think of several other variations!

Ingredients: 

  • 1 pt (2 c) softened vanilla ice cream
  • 1 oz (2 Tab) Scotch, or to taste
  • 1 oz (2 Tab) Drambuie, or to taste
  • 1/8 c chopped toasted pecans

Directions: 

  1. In a blender, blend ice cream, Scotch and Drambuie until smooth but still thick.
  2. Pour into 2 chilled stemmed glasses.
  3. Garnish drinks with pecans.

Serves:  Makes 2 drinks  (Share with a friend!)

Source: Gourmet, July 1994