Oyako don for breakfast

(taken out on our deck this morning. there was a thin layer of snow from last night sparkling on the grass :D)

Lydia from My Kitchen posted a picture and recipe for Oyako Donburi (Japanese rice bowl with chicken and egg toppings) so mouthwatering I had to try it myself. We had most of the ingredients on hand, but I made a few substitutions for Japanese ingredients we didn 't have. Lydia's recipe was "quick and easy" like she promised, even with my adjustments. The delicious result: slightly American-ized and Chinese-ified Oyako Don for breakfast this morning!
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Christina's Oyako Don

(adapted from Oyako Donburi)

4 servings

4-6 c. cooked white rice

1 1/2 c. cooked chicken breast, cut into small cubes

1/2 large onion, thinly sliced

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. chopped green onions

Mix together chicken broth and soy sauce.
Bring 1/4 of the mixture to a boil in a small shallow pan.
Add 1/4 of the chicken and onions and cook over medium-low heat until almost done.
Pour 1/4 of the lightly beaten eggs in a thin stream over the chicken and onions.
Sprinkle with green onions and cover the pan.
Simmer on low heat until egg is almost set.
Careful slide the topping onto a bowl of rice.
Repeat for 3 more servings.
Enjoy!

"I'm naked!"

"Now I'm fully dressed...but so high up! o_O"

Yogen fruz--Canada's PinkBerry/Berryline?

Shopping at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL yesterday, I spotted this ad:

I have never heard of "yogen früz" before (have you?), but apparently it is the largest frozen yogurt franchise in the world. Started in Canada, the chain now consists of over 1100 stores in 20 countries. The stores also offer smoothies along with their proprietary Probiotic froyo.

yogen früz (wikipedia article) has captured 80% of the frozen yogurt market in Canada and currently operates in many other countries around the world, including Greece, China, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. But it only recently entered the U.S. market (probably why I had never heard of it before). New franchises were launched in Florida, California, and Illinois (random?) first, and Virginia and Washington, D.C. are next.

I didn't have time to stop by the store in the mall, but I'm excited to try yogen früz sometime soon--sounds like a great brand from its website and reviews.

Here's an interesting interview Businessweek did with one of the company's founders about their plans for expansion in the U.S: Can Yogen Fruz Gain a U.S. Following? (According to this article, Chicago was their first step into the U.S.)

I also found this fun blog while googling yogen früz: The Midwestern Frozen Yogurt Blog

Watch out PinkBerry and Berryline, yogen früz is here! (Just kidding Berryline, you will always have my heart :D )

Jeffrey's Rosemary Bread

My brother makes this amazing bread at home at least once every couple of weeks, and he just taught me how to make it. Now that we're on break at home with nothing better to do, we're popping out loaves every few days :) Rosemary bread is fragrant and just the right balance of moist/dry--I'll never go back to plain white/wheat!
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Rosemary Bread

(adapted from Jo's Rosemary Bread)

1 loaf (12 servings)

1 c. water

3 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp dried rosemary

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 packet yeast

Add yeast to 1/4 c. warm water, wait about 10 minutes.
Add to a mixing bowl with flour, salt, sugar, and oil. Knead until your arms are tired!
Add oregano, pepper, and rosemary (try other herbs if you like!), knead some more.
Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for an hour in a warm place (oven at low temp if you can't find a warm place for it during the winter, like us).
Punch the dough down and let it rise for another hour.
Bake at 375 degrees F until golden brown.
Remove and brush with olive oil if desired.

Burger toys!

SO CUTE. Is it weird that I think they look kind of yummy too?

(Picture from corkydoll's photostream on flickr)

Apparently Newbury Comics sells these "Mr. TTT Burger" plush toys on their website:

"Made from the finest ingredients, Mr. TTT Burger was magically awakened by Bumble Grump's love. He now makes every day filled with delights."

I'll see if I can pick one up at the Newbury Comics in Cambridge or Boston :D

Fun with Wordle

Feed Me by Wordle as of today:


Pretty nifty, eh? Check it out yourself: input text or a url at wordle.net, and Wordle creates a picture of the most-used words. Customize the font, number of words, colors, and more ^_^

Holiday cheer

Jalapeño poppers, hot pot, and family :D

Easy recipe for Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers from RecipeZaar (We didn't have enough cheddar cheese on hand, so I substituted with mozzarella--just as good!). These poppers were too spicy for me, but everyone else loved the heat. Try more cheese or smaller peppers if you prefer your poppers to just tingle your tongue, not set it on fire :)

We Asians looove our hot pot :)

Ice skating with my warm-blooded brother and cousins (cousin #2 not pictured)

Cambridge Eats

Some of my favorite places to grab a snack or full-fledged meal (all reasonably-priced and yummy, of course!):

(creme brulee and "dark chocolate decadence" from Finale)

Berryline: yummy froyo with all the interesting flavors and toppings you can think of (our version of PinkBerry)
Boloco: "inspired" burritos and smoothies, free wi-fi and online ordering available
Boston Tea Stop: the place to go for bubble tea in all flavors imaginable as well as mochi ice cream (mentioned in my previous post). They used to have delicious mini dumplings too, but they're gone now :(
Darwin's: simply AMAZING sandwiches and treats!!! "shabby-chic" atmosphere and wandering wi-fi--a must-go for sure :) (p.s. the sandwiches are named after the streets that surround each of the 2 cambridge locations)
Finale: incredible desserts and a surprisingly good (and affordable) dinner menu, great coffee too
Le's: nothing like a huge bowl of savory pho to warm you up on those cold, rainy days so common in Cambridge :D
Uno's: nothing particularly amazing but always good and satisfying, especially the half-price appetizers on weekday nights and Chicago-style deep dish pizzas that remind me of home :)
UpStairs on the Square: a really classy, cute, and unique place with yummy gourmet food at a decent price, particularly good for afternoon tea (who knew it existed in Cambridge??) on Saturdays and Sunday brunch--just beware of overpriced drinks!!!

Overdue.

Top to bottom:
1. Grant and I made homemade pizza at the new house in Geneva, IL last week to start winter break with something delicious--we made a big one with mozzarella and colby jack cheese, jalapeno peppers, chicken breast, and herbs, and a small one with chicken, tomatoes, and pineapple...so good, even my Asian rice-and-chopsticks parents helped finish them off :) Easy pizza dough recipe from all recipes.
2. Thanksgiving at the Geneva house--Jeffrey and I took care of the "American" part of our Turkey Day dinner, including green bean casserole (or "green bean castle" according to my dad), apple sausage stuffing, bacon-wrapped potatoes and asparagus, and turkey of course. So much food, esp. with all the Chinese my parents made. Good thing we all like leftovers.
3. My mom makes great sushi with sort of weird but yummy filling--ham, egg, avocado, cucumber, and carrot. So pretty too :)
4. I usually go to the Boston Tea Stop in Cambridge for bubble tea, but recently I've been more interested in their various flavors of Mochi ice cream, little dome-shaped Japanese desserts consisting of a firm ice cream center wrapped in a chewy, rice-based shell. My favorite so far is pumpkin pie :D

The last days of freedom...

...dreading another year of dining hall food.

1. Raspberry and buttercream layer cake made by all the blockmates for Alison's birthday
2-3. Chocolate cake I made for Jeffrey's birthday before leaving for school in September
4. Soup my mom made with squash and other Chinese ingredients
5. Spring rolls my mom made--the wrapper hasn't been deep fried, but that's how I like it!
6. Chocolate chip pancakes I made...but Puddles ate most of the stack before anyone else got a bite
7-12. We surprised Alison on her birthday with a homemade picnic by the Charles: sun-dried tomatoes and chicken gemelli pasta, French bread topped with more tomatoes, herbed olive oil, and proscuitto spread, and our beautiful cake (eaten from cups because we ran out of plates :P)

Apple Cinnamon Madeleines adventure

I saw this fantastic Apple and Cinnamon Madeleines recipe by Milk and Cookies some time ago and told myself I'd whip up a batch myself some rainy afternoon before the summer was over...

...well, I got my rainy afternoon yesterday, but it wasn't until this morning that I finally finished the little suckers :P

Obstacles to success:

1. Finding a madeleine pan: I've never made madeleines and couldn't think of anyone I knew who has, but I figured I could just run over to the supermarket and pick up my own pan--not so easy. After scouring the housewares, baking, and crafts sections of 4 different stores, I went back home frustrated and pan-less. I called Grant fuming and expecting him to miraculously conjure up a madeleine pan for me, but even after calling his mom, I was still pan-less. Grant told me to just bake something else, but all I wanted to make was madeleines! I'm infatuated with cute things, and these little shell-shaped cakes are just too adorable to pass up so easily.

Feeling more defeated than I have in a long time, I put away all the sugar and flour I had already gotten out of the cupboards and said I would just have to order my own pan and try the recipe some other time. AND JUST AT THAT MOMENT the phone rang--Grant's mom calling back to save the day! She had found someone in town who happened to have a madeleine pan and was willing to lend it to me--super yay! Totally ecstatic, I ran over to pick it up (thanking her profusely for yet again being way too nice to me) and hurried back home to start baking at the bright hour of 7 p.m. :D

2. Oily, wiggly madeleines?: I followed the Milk and Cookies recipe pretty closely, converting from metric to US units (why can't we just use the metric system like everyone else in the world??!!!), substituting granulated and golden brown sugar for caster and muscovado sugar, and applesauce for pureed apples. She mentioned that her madeleines turned out a bit too dry, so I added an extra tablespoon of applesauce. My measurements weren't exactly accurate after converting from grams to cups/tablespoons but seemed close enough. However, I did mistake 180degrees CELSIUS for 180degrees FAHRENHEIT (It seemed awfully low for baking but I was too excited to think into it more :P) and didn't realize until the cakes had been in the oven for 5 min...I immediately took them out, preheated to 350degrees F instead, and tried again but feared the consequences of my mistake. The result? My first batch of madeleines popped out of the pan fine but were pretty flat, wiggly/spongy, and very oily. I wondered if I should have kept them in longer, so I tried that with the next dozen...about the same result, but they ended up sticking badly to the pan and I had to dump all of them (Puddles the dog stole a few scraps). Finally, I decided to try one more time, leaving out the extra tablespoon of applesauce and greasing the pan really well. This time, the madeleines were a bit more plump and a lot more firm, but still kind of oily. I lay them out on paper towels overnight to see if they would help, and in the morning, saw that a lot of oil had been absorbed. I brushed them with sugar and then thought I would try baking them for a few more minutes, just to see what would happen. After 10 more minutes at 350, I was greeted with 15 pretty decent-looking madeleines--golden and slightly crisp on the edges, light and spongy but firm throughout, no longer oily! I brushed them with sugar again since most of it had been absorbed into the cakes during the re-bake, and voila--not-too-shabby first-time Apple Cinnamon Madeleines!

3. Clouds: I couldn't wait to photograph my newest creations, but the sky was still dark and cloudy from yesterday's rain, and I ended up taking pictures in my dining room with some artificial light despite my better judgment. Of course, photos from my point-and-shoot are never great in general, so these will do for now, but I might try again later today when the sun comes out.

I'll definitely have to try these again when I get my own pan--regardless of what they look like, they taste amazing: not too sweet, fragrant and fruity, just enough apple and cinnamon flavors. I've also found several other madeleines recipes from Milk and Cookies and Tartelette that I would love to try--I think I'm obsessed with these cute little cakes!

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Apple Cinnamon Madeleines

(adapted from Apple and Cinnamon Madeleines)

12 madeleines

1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened (plus more to grease pan)

1 3/4 tbsp light brown sugar (or light muscovado if you have it)

2 3/4 tbsp granulated sugar (or superfine/caster if you have it)

1 egg, lightly whisked

1/4 c. applesauce

granulated sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brush madeleine pan with butter.

In a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon.

Cream butter and sugars in another bowl until light and creamy. Add eggs and applesauce and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and fold until incorporated.

Place a tablespoon or so of the batter in each mold and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and lightly coat madeleines with granulated sugar.

Labor Day weekend sweets

Funfetti cake and peach pie made with love!

China--In pictures

1. Chicken with hot peppers (some mediocre restaurant in Zhou Zhuang)
2. Old bridge in Zhou Zhuang water town
3. Shaved ice volcano with red bean lava and pineapple! (SSAW hotel's restaurant in Hang Zhou--great 4 star hotel, pretty decent restaurant)
4. View of Hang Zhou from West Lake
5. Duck tongue (:P) and beans (Macau Street restaurant in Hang Zhou--somewhat modernized Chinese food, good stuff)
6. Chicken soup in a teapot and fruit salad (Macau Street, Hang Zhou)
7. Liang feng (I made this!)--weird jello noodle-like stuff mixed with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, chili sauce, and cilantro
8. Sauteed veggies (I made this too! Notice the cute veggie hearts :)
9. I liked the packaging for the moist towelettes :)
10. Duck (SSAW hotel restaurant, Hang Zhou)
11. Beef with vegetables (SSAW hotel restaurant, Hang Zhou)
12. Do fu hua/Tofu soup from a street vendor -- I love this stuff
13. My gma likes meat.
14. Shrimp and veggies at my aunt's in Chang Zhou (the bright green stuff is bitter melon...my 15. dad and I are the only people in the world who love it :P)
16. After hiking up a mountain with my uncle--exhaustion extreme
17. Wonton, various veggies, and liang feng made by my aunt and me
18. Hang Zhou city

Coming home Sunday--still plenty of time for more cooking, eating, shopping, and exploring :)