FOOD: FRENCH ALMOND CRISPY CROISSANTS

FOOD: FRENCH ALMOND CRISPY CROISSANTS

INGREDIENTS:
12 CROISSANTS ( I grab these at Costco premade.  If you're feeling ambitious, you're welcome to make the croissants)

Almond Paste:
3/4 cup of sugar
1 and 1/2 cup of almond ( grind these in a blender or food processor so they look like flour or crunchy almond bits)
1 and 1/2 stick or 3/4 cup of butter (I melt the butter in a cup for 30 seconds in the microwave instead of waiting for them to soften at room temperature)
3 eggs


Sugar Syrup:
This gives it a nice sweet glaze.  Stir all of these ingredients together and let cool.
1 cup of boiling water
3 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoons of rum or vanilla extract


HOW TO:
Whip three eggs together well.
Add in 3/4 cup of sugar at high speed for a minute.
Add in 3/4 cup of melted or softened butter at high speed for another minute.
At low speed, add in almond flour.  You don't want the flour to fly everywhere.  Whip all ingredients together until fluffy.

Whip ingredients together to make almond paste!

Slice croissants in halves.  Drip both sides of croissants in sugar syrup, it will be a bit soggy. 

Use a spatula or spoon to coat almond paste onto the croissants in the middle, and on the top.

Coat croissants with almond paste in the middle.

Coat almond paste onto the second halve of the croissants, this is the top of it.

Use the rest of the almond bits / flour to sprinkle on the top of the croissants.

Place them on non-stick parchment paper and a cooking pan.

Place them in the oven. Bake at 350F for 15 to 18 minutes.  Rotate them at 10 minutes if you have two racks in the oven so the bottoms won't burn.

Finished product!  Cool them on wire rack or under a towel.

You can add chocolate to the almond paste next time!

Serve this for breakfast and watch your family cry tears of happiness!

Freeze them if you want to keep them longer.  Enjoy!

FOOD: Sushi Rolls

SUSHI ROLLS

 








Ingredients:

Avocado slices

Cucumber slices

Nori (seaweed sheets, best if they are lightly roasted)

White rice, lightly combine with salt sugar and rice vinegar (lightly wet the rice for ease of rolling)

Combine together cooked tuna with mayo salt and pepper 

I used plastic wrap to cover the bamboo rolling sheet for ease of cleaning.  

Bamboo mat for rolling sushi and rice vinegar for seasoning the rice.

Place ingredients close to the tip of nori, roll half way then roll the complete roll to close.  Press tight but light pressure so the roll can stay together.  Place roll face down on the seal so it can stay together.

Cut this roll when the nori looks less shiny... Give it about 5 minutes before cutting so the nori has time to absorb the moisture from the rice.

Best to serve sushi with salad since too much rice without fiber makes for a hard bowl movement ;)

FOOD: STEAK AND GARLIC MASH... THE ORIGINAL FAVORITE

FOOD: STEAK AND MASH... THE ORIGINAL FAVORITE
THESE ARE MY HUSBAND'S ALL TIME FAVORITE AND THEY ARE EASY TO MAKE FOR ANY OCCASIONS!

I LIKE TO HAD SUNDRIES TOMATOES ON TOP FOR MORE FLAVORS!

GARLIC MASH POTATOES
COOK TOGETHER WITH WATER FOR 30 MINUTES ON MEDIUM HEAT

• CHOPPED ONE ONION
• GLOVES OF GARLIC
• FOUR LARGE POTATOES

DRAIN THE PAN OF WATER
FILL 1/4 OF THE PAN UP WITH MILK, ADD 1/4 CUP OF BUTTER, SALT AND PEPPER
COOK UNTIL MILK LIGHTLY BOILS
TURN OFF HEAT
USE MASHER TO BEAT POTATOES
ENJOY!

 OVEN ROAST TOMATOES

 WASH AND DRY CHERRY TOMATOES
 PUT ON SHEET OF FOIL ON PAN
COAT LIGHTLY WITH OLIVE OIL
 SPRINKLE SALT AND PEPPER
COOK FOR 20 MINUTES ON 350F OVEN

 PEPPERY STEAK

 WASH AND DRY MEAT
COAT LIGHTLY WITH SALT AND PEPPER
SEAR ON HOT PAN WITH LITTLE OLIVE OIL FOR 5 MINUTES EACH SIDE
PLACE IN OVEN AND BAKE FOR 15 (RARE), 20 MINS (MED RARE), 30 MINS (SUPER WELL DONE) AT 350F
LET IT REST OUTSIDE OF THE OVEN FOR 2 - 3 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING

 

ASPARAGUS AND ONION IN STEAK SAUCE

 WASH ASPARAGUS AND BREAK OFF THE HARD ENDS
IF YOU HOLD THE ASPARAGUS AT BOTH ENDS USING BOTH HANDS, DO A BREAKING MOTION, THE BREAKING POINT IS WHERE IT IS GOOD TO EAT.
WASH 1/2 ONION AND SLICE
ADD ASPARAGUS AND ONION TO THE PAN WITH SEARED STEAK JUICES REMAINING
ADD SMALL AMOUNT OF OLIVE OIL AND PEPPER (MAY NOT NEED SALT SINCE THE STEAK JUICE HAD SOME ALREADY)
HEAT PAN FOR 5 MINUTES AND STIR AROUND
ENJOY!

FOOD: KOREAN KALBI / PEPPER SHORT RIBS

I DO NOT USE A RECIPE WHEN I COOK, SO I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT I DID :)

USE YOUR NOSE AND TASTE BUDS FOR THE BEST RESULT ON "QUANTITIES OF INGREDIENTS!"  SERVED WITH KIMCHEE OR OTHER SIDE DISHES SUCH AS SMASH POTATOES, STIR FRIED GARLIC SPINACH AND RICE

 USE PAN COVER TO REDUCE HOT OIL SPLASHING!

FOOD: KOREAN KALBI SHORT RIBS

SOAK RIBS IN WATER FOR 20 MINS SO THE SMALL PIECES OF BONES WON'T STICK TO YOUR MEAT AND CUT YOU WHILE YOU EAT.

DRY THE MEAT WITH NAPKIN

SOAK IN THESE INGREDIENTS FOR 30 MIN OR FOR ANOTHER DAY IN THE FRIDGE.

BLEND THESE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A BLENDER

• SOME TYPE OF CITRUS FRUIT, PEELED AND CUBED: PEAR, APPLE, NECTARINE, ORANGE - 1 CUP
• MOLASSES SOY SAUCE - 1 CUP
• SEASAME SEED OIL - 1/2 CUP
• OLIVE OIL - 1/2 CUP
• BLACK PEPPER - 1 TABLESPOON
• CAYENNE PEPPER - 1 TABLESPOON
• PAPRIKA - 1 TABLESPOON
• GLOVES OF GARLIC
• ONION - 1/2 OF ONE
• BROWN SUGAR - 1/2 CUP

TURN ON OVEN TO 350F
PLACE FOIL PAPER ON PANS, PLACE RIBS ON FOIL PAPER, PLACE IN OVEN FOR 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL BROWN.

SERVE WITH KIMCHEE OR OTHER SIDE DISHES SUCH AS SMASH POTATOES, STIR FRIED GARLIC SPINACH AND RICE




FOOD: PEPPERY SHORT RIBS
SOAK RIBS IN WATER FOR 20 MINS SO THE SMALL PIECES OF BONES WON'T STICK TO YOUR MEAT AND CUT YOU WHILE YOU EAT.

DRY THE MEAT WITH NAPKIN

SPRINKLE BOTH SIDES OF THE MEAT WITH  PEPPER AND SALT

TURN ON THE PAN WITH SMALL AMOUNT OF OLIVE OIL FOR 2 MINUTES

COOK EACH SIDE OF THE MEAT FOR 3-5 MIN OR UNTIL BROWN

SERVE WITH KIMCHEE OR OTHER SIDE DISHES SUCH AS SMASH POTATOES, STIR FRIED GARLIC SPINACH, AND RICE

PROJECT: WINTER WEDDING FLOWERS & BRIDAL BOUQUET

THIS IS REALLY FUN AND I USED THE COMBINATION OF ROYAL PURPLE/BLUE, ROMANTIC RED, AND PURE WHITE TO CREATE THESE FLOWERS!

 BOUTONNIERES

BOUQUETS

PROJECT: BRIDAL BOUQUET AND WEDDING FLOWERS - FIRST ATTEMPT WITH RED ROSES

THESE ARE SOME OF THE FLOWERS I HAVE MADE FOR FRIENDS... THEY REALLY FUN TO DO AND I LOVE IT!

THESE ARE BOUTONNIERES FOR THE GROOMSMEN AND GROOM

 THESE ARE BOUTONNIERES FOR THE BRIDE'S MOTHERS