Fundraising Project #1 – “The Man Who Never Cried”

A few weeks back I wrote a post about The Importance of Giving where President Clinton discusses ways we can contribute our time and skills to help others.  Since then, my mind hasn’t stopped thinking about ways I can help and the differences I am able to make with the resources that are readily available to me.

My friend Andrew Lee has been busily working on a short film titled “The Man Who Never Cried” and together with his team, they’ve been  hard to raise money for the project.  Thus far he has raised a whopping $12,000 for the film but still has another $9,000 to go before reaching the budget needed.  Unfortunately I’m not a millionaire, or I’d throw a fat check his way BUT I do like to bake and photograph the things I make so I came up with a fun idea — organizing a fundraiser by selling cupcakes to my friends and family!

This week I’ve written an article at Appetite for Good, a website geared towards promoting philanthropic organizations and events through food.  Be sure to read more about my first fundraising event and most importantly, don’t forget to support!

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Ingredients for Lemon Cake: (makes 30 cupcakes)

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks/8 oz/226g) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 (8-ounce) cartons dairy sour cream
• 2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

Recipe from Diana’s Desserts.

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F (180 C). Line thirty 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. (The batter will be thick.) Stir in lemon peel.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into each prepared muffin cup *(See Tip Below). Bake in preheated oven about 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frsoting and topping cupcakes with lemon or orange zest (optional).

Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes (Makes 24 cupcakes):

• 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 12 T unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 c + 2 T sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 c sour cream or plain yogurt
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled & coarsely chopped
• 1 package of graham crackers, smashed into crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare 6 – 8 muffin tins.  Sprinkle about 1 t of the crushed graham cracker into the bottom of each prepared muffin tin.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder & salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy and then add the vanilla & beat on a low-speed.  Then add half the flour mixture until incorporated then mix in the sour cream or yogurt.  Add remaining flour & mix until just blended.

In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peak appear, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined, do not over mix the egg whites or the cake will fall flat. Add remaining egg and fold in the chopped strawberries.  Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 of the way and bake for about 20 minutes depending on your oven.   You can test the doneness by sticking a toothpick through the center, if it comes out clean it is ready to take out!

Ingredients for Carrot cupcakes (Makes 1 dozen):

• 8 carrots (1 1/4 pounds), peeled and coarsely shredded (4 cups)
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups canola oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. In a medium bowl, toss the carrots with the raisins and pecans. Onto a large sheet of wax paper, sift the flour with the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the canola oil with the sugar at medium-high speed until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between additions. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the carrot mixture.

Spoon the batter into the cups, filling them three-fourths full. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients for Moist Chocolate Cupcakes: (Makes 12-18 cupcakes)

• 1 3/4 cup All-Purpose flour
• 2 cup sugar
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup coffee

For the chocolate cake, mix all of the dry ingredients together so they are evenly distributed.  Add the wet ingredients one at a time as listed, until fully incorporated.  This ensures the batter comes out nice and smooth. Line the muffin pans with cupcake liners and pour the batter about 3/4 of the way, leaving room for the cake to rise when baking.  Place in the oven for 20 minutes, you can check the doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle, if it comes out clean it is ready (Because oven temperatures differ, if the batter is still wet leave for 5 minutes longer, repeat until done.)  Set aside and cool.

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For the toppings of the cupcakes — you can find the recipe for caramel here and the cream cheese frosting here and the candied carrots here.  The rest is pretty self explanatory and use your creativity to see what you can come up with!

Israeli Hummus with Paprika and Whole Chickpeas

I decided to take a break from Shanghai and introduce this wonderful recipe I found through Food and Wine.  I was instantly drawn to this recipe for its simplicity– made with wholesome healthy ingredients it not only goes great as a dip but is awesome in sandwiches, salads, and wraps.  This recipe is from Chef Michael Solomonov who was born in G’nei Yehudah, Israel and was raised in Pittsburgh. In May 2008, Michael opened Zahav in Philadelphia, where his main influences come from the traditional cuisine of his native Israel.

An excerpt from chef Michael Solomonov in Food and Wine  states —

“Before opening Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia, chef Michael Solomonov visited hummus parlors all over Israel trying to find the best recipe. “Hummus is the hardest thing to get right,” he says. “It has to be rich, creamy and mildly nutty.” To make his hummus luxuriously smooth, he soaks the chickpeas overnight with baking soda to soften them. While Americans now flavor hummus with everything from pureed red peppers to fresh herbs, Solomonov says among the fanciest garnishes you can find in Israel are whole chickpeas, paprika and lemon-spiked tahini, used for hummus masabacha.”

Ingredients for Israeli Hummus with Paprika and Whole Chickpeas:

• 1/2 pound dried chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 7 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup tahini, at room temperature (see Note)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Salt
• Paprika, for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Pita bread, for serving

In a medium bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with 2 inches of water and stir in the baking soda. Refrigerate the chickpeas overnight. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water.

In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of fresh water. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain, reserving 10 tablespoons of the cooking water and 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Peel the garlic cloves.

In a food processor, puree the chickpeas with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 6 of the garlic cloves. Add the cumin along with 1/4 cup each of the tahini and lemon juice and process until creamy. Season the hummus with salt and transfer to a serving bowl. Wipe out the food processor. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and garlic clove and puree.

Using a ladle, make an indent in the center of the hummus. Spoon in the tahini-lemon mixture. Sprinkle the hummus with the cumin and paprika. Garnish with the reserved whole chickpeas and the parsley, and serve with pita bread.

I like making fresh hummus at home without the weird preservatives that you find in-store.  It’s made of pure ingredients: organic chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice with paprika and cumin to finish it off — it’s amazingly simple yet delicious.  To learn the proper way to soak legumes and obtain the maximum nutrients, my friend Divina offers a wonderful guide here.  Chickpeas rich in protein and folate, are high in dietary fiber which results in healthy colons and lowers your risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Wheatberry Salad with Poached Egg and Potato Crisps

So it has been a month of eating mostly vegetarian and I have to say guys, I think it’s honestly not half bad.  I figured by now I’d be ripping my hair out, screaming at the top of my lungs, WHERE IS THE MEAT????  But ya know, I think I enjoy not having meat in every meal…  I know what you’re thinking, I am probably losing my mind due to the lack of meaty goodness in my diet but the differences that I’m noticing in my energy and the reduction of body fat is incredible.

I use to eat meat in every meal, except breakfast because for some reason I always skip that meal.  It’s horrible for you, I know, I am making a conscious effort to eat breakfast this year and this week I’ve done pretty good.  Anyways back to meat, I use to have it up to 12-13 times a week — I mean, that’s a lot of meat.  I would also eat a lot of red meat during dinner time as well: steak, pork, bison…okay YUM.  But seeing that our bodies are made to be mostly vegetarian (the proof is in our teeth!), like our common ancestor the Monkey, it just made sense for me to cut down my meat consumption to 3-4 times a week.

Trust me, Collin was geekin pretty bad when we first started this venture.  “What are we going to eat if we can’t eat meat?”  “Does this mean we’ll be eating beans all the time?”  “Should I get beano?” “No really, what are we going to eat to stay full?” All valid concerns, and I don’t blame him.   I’ve eaten at vegetarian restaurants and I always feel like something is missing…like meat.  Then I realized, why make something that “tastes” like meat when obviously you know it’s not — I mean it’s just down right disappointing.  So I’ve embraced the flavors, textures and colors of vegetables and enjoy them for what they are, not for what they can “substitute”.

For this lovely dinner I prepared last night I used a whole grain called “wheatberries”.  Basically it is the entire wheat kernel: the bran, germ, endosperm and all except for the husk.  The textures of these little “berries” are incredible, they are a chewy consistency and very firm in texture and also provide an excellent source of dietary fiber.  Dietary fiber not only gives you healthy poops (tee hee) but also lowers cholesterol, prevents heart disease and several other benefits that keeps your body strong and in good shape.

I mixed the wheatberries with some diced bell peppers and toasted pecans.  I placed it on a bed of peppery argula greens and thinly sliced tomatoes and topped it off with a poached eggs and some potato crisps I baked in the oven.  It’s one of those meals you wouldnt expect to be soul satisfying, but it truly is.  It’s all of earth’s wholesome goodness in a bowl.

Ingredients for Wheatberry Salad with Poached Egg and Potato Crisps:

(serves 2-3)

• 2 cup wheatberries, rinsed and soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 lemon, squeezed, juice only
• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 1 medium red skinned potato, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 cup arugula greens, rinsed and dried
  
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
  
• salt pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a medium heavy bottomed pot, place your wheatberries and cover with water — cook at medium high heat for 30 minutes, or until softened.  Meanwhile, take your thinly sliced potatoes and minced garlic and place them on a prepared baking sheet.  You can either spray with cooking spray or evenly coat with olive oil.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

While you are waiting for those items to cook, this is when you can prep the other vegetables like the diced bells, tomatoes and arugula.  You can also begin poaching your egg during this time as well, for those of you who have never poached an egg, it is better to use fresh eggs when poaching so it holds together better while cooking.

My friend Dhale has great instructions as to how to poach eggs on her site that can be found here. If you prefer a less runny yolk, leave it in for 4-5 minutes, if you like yours runny (as I do) leave it in for 2-3 minutes.  Be sure the whites are fully cooked before you consume them, you can check the whites by raising the poached egg out carefully with a slotted spoon.

Take your potato crisps out of the oven and set aside.  Once the wheatberries are fully cooked, strain and place in a large mixing bowl.  Place the lemon juice and honey along with the chopped bell peppers and pecans and mix together.  Plate your arugula and tomatoes and place a spoonful of the wheatberry salad ontop.  Top it off with the poached eggs and potato crisps and season with salt and pepper and a little bit of grated Parm — I actually kicked it up a notch and used “smoked salt” which is VERY yummy and can be found at the bulk spice section at Central Market.

Heh heh heh, thought I’d share some pictures with you guys — both of my animals and some of my food art.  I would love some feedback so tell me what you guys think!!

I am not sure what Lily is doing here, she looks like she’s recovering from a hangover, oooh kitty….

Heh heh heh heh

It didn’t work quite as well on Lays — and just so you guys know (because it is not seemingly evident in the pictures), my animals love me hahahahaha 🙂

Can anyone guess what this is?

Food art time!!

There ya go folks! Until next time …

Salmon with Coconut Citrus Butter & Chive Mashed Potatoes

Citrus citrus citrus! Fall is the start of citrus season and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some beautiful greens, yellows, reds and oranges.  I always enjoy the bright aromas and acidity of these little fruits and thought what better way to celebrate their flavors than with a vibrant sauce featuring grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime juices.

Here are some tips on picking good quality citrus produce:

1. Feel how heavy the fruit is.  The heavier, the better — it means there is more water content!
2. Look for thin smooth peels. Don’t pick the ones with the thick porous skin, the ones that are as smooth as a baby’s bottom are the best! Or else you’re stuck with a thick rind and less fruit.  (That is no bueno)
3. Avoid any fruit that feels soft or mushy, more than likely it is rotten on the inside.
4. Smell the fruit. A sweet aroma usually means a stronger and sweeter citrus flavor.

If at all possible, use wild salmon opposed to farm-raised.  Wild salmon is more flavorful but if it is not readily available farm-raised is a perfectly viable alternative.

I found this wonderful recipe from my Chanterelle cookbook and changed a few things.  It was a cumin crusted salmon with citrus butter but I didn’t have cumin so I left it off and used coconut milk in place of the heavy cream.  I also cut down half the amount of butter and still got great results.

Ingredients for Salmon and Coconut Citrus Butter

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used coconut milk)
• 1/2 lb of unsalted butter (I only used 4 tbsp)
• kosher salt
• pinch of sugar, if necessary
• 4 x 6 oz salmon fillets, at least 1 inch thick, skin and any pin bones removed
• coarse black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of canola

To make the citrus butter, combine the wine and citrus juices in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes.  This process should be watched over closely, because of the high sugar content it can burn easily.  Add the cream and bring to a boil.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cold butter, a few pieces at a time, making sure it is completely incorporated before adding more.  Season with salt if it lacks taste and sugar if it is too tart.  You can keep the sauce at room temperature for up to an hour and reheat at a low heat just before serving.

Take the salmon fillets and place them on a clean, dry surface.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot.  Add the oil and turn the pan to coat the bottom with oil, allowing it to heat for a minute or two.  Place the fillets, skin side down for 2 to 3 minutes then turn the fillets over and cook the other side for the same amount of time or until the desired level of doneness is achieved.  The thickness of the cut may affect cooking time so please adjust accordingly.

Spoon a mound of mashed potatoes into the center of the plates.  Drizzle with the warm citrus butter around the potatoes and top with a salmon fillet.