July 25, 2020

Coffee Jelly

With my skittishness about gelatinous textures and unusual things mixed in (at least from an American standpoint), coffee jelly was one of those things I saw a lot in Japan when it was hot out but I never really got up the courage to try. Then a friend of mine kept going on about how good it was, so I have really been wanting to try it. But in the US, at least if you're not in a major city with Japanese or other Asian dessert options readily available, it's something that you'll have to make yourself if you want it.

Verdict: This recipe set too hard for my liking (the texture was dense) and didn't taste enough like coffee for my liking either. I want to try again with a different recipe, because I really want to like this stuff and I do believe that there are versions of it that I would like. (I also want to make an iced latte with coffee jelly in the bottom sometime. *heart eyes* Or if you really want to go ham, put it in Dalgona/whipped coffee.) Here are some others I could try:

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RECIPE: Coffee Jelly (Japanese Cooking 101)

July 12, 2020

Bourbon Peach Smash

My neighbor generously gave me a bag full of nice peaches recently, and this is one of the things I decided to make with them.

Verdict: It was pleasant, and I even like shrub type drinks, but I wouldn't go out of my way to make it again. I like fruity drinks, but if there's actual fruit in the drink I like to consume it, and it was hard to eat the fruit out of this one.

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RECIPE: Bourbon Peach Smash (Smitten Kitchen)

July 5, 2020

Thai Beef Salad

I have always loved getting this from Thai restaurants. I don't normally have the right kind of beef for this in the house, but today I did, as well as enough other fresh vegetables to make it work. Spoon Fork Heart has some nice Thai cooking videos. The video for this recipe is here.

Notes:

  • I used brown sugar instead of palm sugar.
  • I made a number of substitutions in the vegetables to use up what I had (ugh pandemic). Probably not very authentic, but still tasty.

Verdict: I loved it and would definitely make it again, especially with the proper ingredients. The dressing is super good.

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RECIPE: Thai Beef Salad, Bangkok Style (Spoon Fork Heart)

July 2, 2020

Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

Strawberry shortcake was a popular summer dessert in our house because my mom likes to pick strawberries (mid-late June where we live). You can make it with cake or with biscuits. My family is on Team Biscuit. (Though I won't turn away a cake-based one. :)) I used to eat it without the strawberries. I still remember the giant biscuits my mom made in a 9" round pan when I was little, but after I was a bit older she started making drop biscuits. One of the first things I learned to bake were strawberry shortcake biscuits with Bisquick mix. I have been hunting for a good recipe that doesn't use that but is still quick and easy.

Verdict: This is still not QUITE what I am after but it is quite good for the amount of time and effort I'm willing to put in. These are best the day they're made, or the next day after.

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RECIPE: Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake (Taste of Home)

June 27, 2020

Vacation Juice


Like many people, I too have turned to Animal Crossing to help me get through the weeks upon weeks of social isolation. I was resistant at first but eventually caved, and it turns out it's a fun way to visit people you can't normally hang out with.

Notes:

  • I recommend drinking it with a long spoon; the frozen part tends to float to the top and you may need to mix it back in occasionally so you're not sipping either all ice or completely melted drink.
  • The video description gives the incorrect amount of pineapple juice so I have written the recipe below with the proper amount. (If you don't use enough, it won't taste quite right.)
  • If you don't want to try the float with the blue portion of the drink (it's entirely for looks) or if you fail at making it float on top, just pour it into the glass -- it starts off with this cool ice blue and pale yellow marbled look but it will eventually mix and turn green. OR if you're feeling lazy, just put the blue curaçao into the bottom of your glass instead of blending it into a portion of the drink. It will mix in as you drink.
  • We really liked adding a small amount of key lime juice to it (1/2 oz total per drink) to enhance the sour flavors. Regular lime juice would work too.
  • I made my own cream of coconut using Steve the Bartender's recipe (400 ml coconut milk, 375 g sugar, pinch of salt, heat on the stove until the sugar is dissolved).
  • You want to use enough ice to double the volume of the drink. There is about 8 fl oz (1 cup) of liquid so you will need about 7-8 ice cubes.

Verdict: I like it! It's fruity, cool, and sweet but not overwhelmingly so.

Edit 10/29/20: I have made this at least 4-5 more times over the summer, but with some slight tweaks (as described above) because I am lazy. Still not sick of it.

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Vacation Juice
adapted from How to Drink, originally posted June 20, 2020
Serves 2, or 1 very generously

3.75 fl oz (98 ml) pineapple juice
0.75 fl oz (22 ml) orange juice
0.5 fl oz (14 ml) lime juice (optional, but recommended if you like yours more sour)
1.5 fl oz (45 ml) cream of coconut
2 fl oz (60 ml) white rum
0.5 fl oz (14 ml) blue curaçao
7-8 ice cube, about 1 cup total volume
Optional garnishes: lime wheels, foam plumeria flowers, maraschino cherries

Measure juices, cream of coconut, and rum into the blender jar. Add ice. Blend to a frappe (ice will be finely ground). Pour 3/4 of it into glass(es). Add blue curaçao to the remainder of the drink in the blender, and pulse a few times until it is incorporated. Slowly pour the rest of the blender contents over the back of a wide spoon into the glass so that it floats on the top of the drink. Garnish (if desired) and drink through a colorful straw.

June 24, 2020

French Toast Casserole

I watched this Basics With Babish video recently and got really hungry for French toast, plus realized I'd never had French toast bake before. We were also needing to get groceries, so we got all the ingredients to make it the very next day.

Notes:

  • I used a mix of 2% milk and half-and-half instead of whole milk in the custard.

Verdict: Absolutely loved it. It's not the healthiest breakfast in the world, but my goodness it is magical, and smells as good as it tastes. Any morning you'd make this would feel like Christmas morning, presents or not.

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RECIPE: French Toast Casserole (Binging With Babish)

June 20, 2020

Spaghetti Carbonara with Kale

I've had spaghetti with kale and eggs before, but didn't really care for how dry the finished dish was and wanted to try something else, so I settled on this.

Notes:

  • I used ham instead of bacon because it's what I had. Bonus: I didn't need to cook the ham first.
Verdict: Liked it a lot! I would definitely make it again.
 
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RECIPE: Kale Carbonara (Primavera Kitchen)