Tofu Kimchi medalions

Visits to our "local" Asian shops always end up with loads and loads of ingredients one doesn't really know what to do with, but this time I went there with a plan.
I am replacing some of our meaty meals with vegetarian meals, and will try to reduce our meat consumption, at least when it comes to the youngest and myself.
Now that's all thanks to our... backyard chicken. We just LOVE them :).

Tofu seemed to be a natural meat replacement for our breakfast, and I couldn't 'till morning to prepare these patties.


Ingredients
2 cups tofu
1 cup well fermented kimchi
3 green onions¼ cup flour (2 tbsp)
2 eggs
1-2 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt to taste
4-5 tbsp sunflower oil for frying
1 tsp hot red pepper if you prefer it more chilly, for us the kimchi was enough for start (Ming's artisan chilly sauce would probably be a perfect match, but be aware, it is shit hot :D)


Finely chop the kimchi and place it in a strainer to get rid of the excess liquid.
Shop the green onions in small pieces and chop or press them through a garlic press.

In a medium sized (2 l - 2 qart) bowl mix the eggs with the flower. Crumble the tofu in the egg-flower mix into small crumbs, add the chopped onions and garlic, and salt to taste.
Mix them well.

Heat a frying pan with 1-2 tbsp oil, and scoop tablespoon sized amounts of mixture in the pan. Press down gently to make flat, about 1 cm, 1/4", thick patties.

Fry on medium heat 2-3 minutes each side.
Slide them in a plate and let them cool until just lukewarm. They tend to fall apart easier when they are too hot, but their consistency becomes very easy to handle ones they are colder.
Mine are a bit nubbly as I added more kimchi than the recipe asks for.

It is an easy snack to take to the beach or pack for school lunch.
Bon apetite! 

Creamy squash - or - zucchini soup

I am rarely raging about something when it comes to food 'cause I've been spoiled with fresh, home made food.
Squash is however the best ever vegetable I can think of (zucchini will do as well), and the fresh zucchini season just started at our local food store.

We had this soup on a regular bases as soon as the squash was rape in our garden, and it is a pleasure to have on hot summer days as it can be consumed both cold or warm.
The way grandma made was lighter, but when my hubby found this recipe we all fell in love with it, and adopted it to fit our ways of cooking.

Ingredients
3 pounds of squash or zicchini
2-3 carrots
2-3 parsley roots (if you can't find any use parsnip, though not quite the same)
1 middle sized onion
vinegar to taste(start with 1-2 tbsp, we usually add at least 4-5 tbsp)
salt
pepper
     powder paprika (optional!!)
2 small bunches of fresh dill
fresh savory or small pinch of crumbled dry savory (borsikafu avagy csombord)
1-3 tbsp olive (preferably non tasty one, I use sunflower oil)
2 dl sour cream
3 egg yolks

Before you start the next step, you have to decide how you like your soup. I you like it very smooth, and creamy, start grating your ingredients on the larger side of the grater. (you can use a food processor as well, but don't overdo it).
If you like your soup more chunky, cut the carrots and parsley root into thin slices, as well as the squash/zucchini.
Cut the dill as well into tiny pieces, leave some for garnish.
1. In a large pot (I'd choose a minimum 3 quart pot) heat the oil, and stir in the onion.
2. When they are getting "glassy" add the carrot and parsley slices. Saute together shortly, 1-2 minutes, than add 2 liters (2.2 quarts) of water.
3. Add the savory, salt and pepper (2 generous pinches) to taste, and  boil them together for 5 minutes.
4. Now add the squash/zucchini and the fresh dill cut into small pieces. Adjust saltiness, add and boil for additional 15 minutes.
5. Mix the egg yolks with the sour cream and the vinegar in a 1-2 quart bowl. Add one ladle of the hot soup, lightly stir, add one more ladle of hot soup, stir again, and now add the mixture back to the boiling soup. Wait for 1-2 minutes until you see the first VERY SMALL bubbles as a sign of boiling, and remove immediately from heat.
Do NOT boil it again, or the egg will make your soup look like a too liquid omelet...
It is delicious both warm and cold, and it is a veggie in season, so enjoy! 


Garnish with additional dill, and enjoy!

Bon appétit!

Beetroot muffins

First of all... NO, the kids didn't like the beetroot muffins... Not at all...

Long time no see my little blog, but I wasn't lazy as it might look, I just wasn't baking too many new things, and even when I did I was short of time to post it.
But now... I baked something I must share..
It is perfect timing for Easter, as it is ready rather fast, is delicious, healthy, plus it has beetroot, which is a mandatory Easter food in our house..

We eat pickled beet with the ham, but this time we will have it as... muffin..
Now, this. is. pure. goodness.almost. adultery.good.

I made the recipe in form of brownies and they immediately won my heart, but I had one issue with it.. It was soo fluffy and moist that it was hard to cut and eat without making it all crumbles on your plate.

I had something almost perfect, but it needed just a little work because you wanna make goodies for the kids but you don't want to make a mess in the house while eating..
It wasn't very difficult to come up with an idea, not in the country of cupcakes..
Cupcakes' frosting is just too sweet for my liking, so.. thanks but no thanks, however I LOVE a good muffin.
How about a"make kids eat even more beet muffin"?? Perfection! :)

According to my Miina from Ripaus ja hyppysellinen the recipe is from Hugh's book, maybe I should get it and try some other recipes as well.. hmm...
But right now, just back to my little chocolaty beetroot muffin..

Ingredients
250 g butter (I used 2 sticks, 230 g)
250 g 70% chocolate (I used Ikea's 60% chocolate as that's what I had in the pantry), 2.5 pc
3 eggs
250 g sugar (I could use only 200g,it was a bit sweeter than needed..)
pinch salt (for extra kick use Himalayan pink salt)
150 g all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
250 g beetroot finely grated (two small, or 1.5 larger beet), I used the food processor.. khhmmm.. laziness, but it worked fine.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) Place the butter and chocolate pieces into a heat resistant pan and place the pan in the oven, mixing occasionally until the butter and chocolate are melted and combined in a smooth cream.
Place about 24 medium muffin paper cups in a tray, or in your muffin tray.
2. Meanwhile measure and mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda).
3. Beat the eggs with the sugar,  no need to separate the egg yolks from the whites, just beat them together.
4. Grate the beet.
5. Fold the lightly cooled chocolate-butter mix into the eggs, gradually, not to make scrambled eggs..
6. Fold in the dry ingredients, mixing as little as possible.
7. Last fold in the beets.

Scoop about 2 tbsp (flat) batter into each muffin paper, filling roughly a bit over half of muffin paper cups.

Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack, until toothpick comes out clean. I like it a bit more on the moist side, so I bake them somewhere between 10-15 minutes, depending on the muffin paper's size.

Let in cool on a rack, and there is nothing left but to ENJOY!
Happy Easter!

Garlic - honey - lemon shots, a natural immune system booster

Flu season is here and my daughter fell sick..Yay...
For three days only, though, and spared the rest of us, but it wasn't an easy one..
I can't brag about anything special the rest of the family did to avoid the sickness: we never take the shots, nor any multivitamins.
Except maybe loads of fruits, veggies and physical exercise, but seeing so many people getting sick everywhere, I thought it's time to give our bodies some extra help.
We did this cure regularly in Finland, (with all that cold felt more logical), but I had to realize that as soon as the wet season kicks in in San Diego, so do the viruses..

If you feel like eating some virus repellent I would strongly advice this mix, and the good news is it must help also against vampires with all that garlic :D.

Ingredients
1 medium head of garlic
3 large lemons
200 g (about half a pound) honey
propolis drops, I add about 60 of them
bee pollen, 1-2 tespoons


Peel the garlic and using the garlic press make the smoothest pure possible in a small, round mixing bowl.
Add the honey, gradually, while mixing with a spoon and pressing against the walls of the bowl, to make pure it further if possible.
Add the propolis and bee pollen, if you add any.
At the end add the lemon, and when mixed, pour it in a jar with a lid, shake it well and place it in the fridge.
Keep it for 1-2 days before consumption, it will allow the tastes to blend and will smoothen the sharpness f the garlic.
Taste it, and add honey/lemon to adjust to your taste.

Take a small teaspoon 2-3 times a day SIPPING IT SLOWLY FIRST!! (add honey and garlic if too strong).
There is no limitation how long you can use it, we usually take it for a week, than make leave one week out, and make another batch, until winter, or flu season is over..

Anyway, there isn't anything in this lovely golden mix that would be harmful, so why not give it a try? Takes at least a week/two dough until the effect kicks in.


The story behind...
Why all this crazy mix? Well, garlic and lemon has tons of benefits, as well as honey (antiseptic, antibacterial), not to mention that this "drink" calls for a sweetener to be edible.

But let's mention few things about the other two ingredients..
Propolis has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, but works just as well against viral infections, too.
Bee pollen as well has antibacterial effect, in addition of being a natural source of protein and vitamins (A, D, E, K, C), but I would highlight the benefits of its B complex, especially B5 vitamin content, which will help your body through the stress caused by the sickness.
If that wasn't yet convincing, let's mention that it is also a red blood cell & hemoglobin production booster, and as such is an energy shot in a tiny ball :).
WARNING! Be aware that be pollen can cause allergy, so if you don't know if  you are or are not allergic to it be safe and try it on your own risk!!

Piparkakku, latest variation

It is the time of the year, again, and I couldn't help but start to bake piparkakku, of course.
Every evening my dearest family is munching loads of Finnish gingerbread, even though I tried hard to save some from being eaten and have a chance to decorate first.. I suppose I will just have to make larger batches.
It all starts by "which shape can we eat?", but then they'll take them all. *Sigh*..
Apologies for the image quality, I'll try to shoot a better with areal camera later, but at least I got the recipe up early, and there is plenty of time to bake them before December.

Ingredients
250 g butter
1.5 dl dark maple syrup (a bit more than a 1/2 cups)
2 dl sugar (a bit less than a cup)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger (I always add a bit less as it is a very strong taste, so play with it as you wish)
2 tsp cloves, ground
1 tsp cardamom (powder)
2 small eggs
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda (kinda humpy) 
500g all purpose flour

Melt the butter with the sugar, syrup and spices until just starts to bubble and is smooth, with both the sugar and butter melted. Remove from heat.
Start beating the two eggs, lightly until foamy, and add the butter-syrup-sugar mixture until well combined.
Fold in the flour, first about one third, mix until homogeneous, and slowly mix in the rest.
Put aside in the fridge for a night.

You can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze and bake at your own convenience.
If you freeze them, remember to remove it from the freezer about 3 hours before you want to use it, it takes minimum 2 hours to soften at room temperature.

Lightly flour the surface of the batter both beneath and on top, and roll it out thin, about 3-4 mm. As you roll add some more flour beneath, it is quite inconvenient to have the shapes stick to the bottom and come up in weird forms.
If you cut more than you can bake, put them in the fridge even for just minutes before they get baked, they will hold their shapes better.
Bake them at 400 F, 200 C, for 6-8 minutes in the middle rack.

I baked little Xmas trees from the cookies seen above on the right, and some Advent candle holders.
Not that we would be religious, but they just look so good as table decoration, don't they?
Place them in airtight containers, and they will be just as good even after 6 weeks. 
Happy baking!

Almond pie crust - mantelitaikina

Simple crust recipe for the typical Finnish sweet piirakka / pie.
I just love them with all sorts of fillings, so I am adding the crust recipes one by one, as they get to our table.
Hope you'll enjoy.

Ingredients
125 g butter
3/4 dl sugar (1/3 cup)
3/4 dl almond flour (1/3 cup)
3 dl (1 1/4 cup) flour

Mix well the butter with the sugar until creamy. Add the flour and almond flour, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Ready to be used.
It is also possible to freeze and use when needed. It is ready to be used in about 15-20 minutes as you got it out of the freezer.
Enjoy!

PS.  If you use powdered sugar, you can just mix the ingredients without worrying about the creaminess.

Túrósbukta - cottage cheese buns

Long time since I baked the last yeast based goodie, so I decided today is the day when I should bake some.
No better choice for a fresh start than the cottage cheese buns. We just looove them!
As a bonus I found a new way to fold them at "Bucataresele vesele"... This provokes action!

I didn't use the recipe from "Bucataresele vesele" this time for many reasons, mainly because I wasn't sure how the dough with 3 eggs will look like, so I stick to my well working yeast dough. Next, when I have some inclination for experimenting I will try.

Ingredients
600 g flour
1/2 tsp salt
350 ml milk (maybe less is enough, you can try starting with 320, but with my Costco bread flour I have to add the 350 ml)
3 humpy tbps sugar 
1.5 tsp dry yeast 
1 egg
1/2 lemon zest
dash of vanilla extract
60 g melted butter or 50 ml oil 
1/2 tsp cardamom, optional

Filling

500 g cottage cheese (in US you'll need to place the cottage cheese in a gauze and squeeze the liquid out of it as much as you can you'll get a too runny filling to work with)
100 g sugar

2-3 egg yolks
1/2 lemon zest
dash of vanilla extract
3 tbsp grits
1-2 tbsp lemon juice

1 egg for brushing

Warm up the milk a little bit, sprinkle the yeast to the top, spread a good pinch of sugar on the yeast and sprinkle some flour. Let it trot for 10 minutes.

Start mixing in the remaining sugar, dash of vanilla extract, salt, egg, lemon zest and flour. Work the dough together for about 10 minutes with a food processor or with hands.

Melt the butter, and last mix it in the dough. When the dough is elastic, leave it for 60+ minutes to grow to about double.
Meanwhile prepare the filling. Mix the egg yolks with the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract, and add it to the cottage cheese. Mix in the grits, and let it sit covered in the fridge until the dough is ready.
When the dough had risen nicely, cut it into two parts, and let it sit for 15 more minutes.
Heat up the oven to 400 F, 200 C and line two large trays with parchment paper.
Cut each half into 8 equal parts, and form the buns either in the traditional way (squares folded like an envelope) or in roses.

For the traditional shapes roll out the dough into squares, place a humpy tbsp filling in the middle and fold up the corners, pinch them together tightly, and place the buns on a tray lined with parchment paper.
For the roses, roll out the dough into circles and follow the image instructions from  "Bucataresele vesele". Again, place the buns on the tray, and let them sit covered for 5 minutes. Meanwhile whip the egg lightly with some water for the egg wash.
Brush the buns with the egg and bake them on the middle shelve for 17 minutes.
Let them cool on a rack covered with a kitchen towel for 10-15 minutes, and they are ready to enjoy!
Bon appétit!