Hummingbird Cake

While my parents were away last week, my aunt and uncle invited my brother and me over for dinner one night. As usual, I volunteered to make something for dessert. We happened to have some overly-ripe bananas lying around and I wanted to use them. However I didn't want to just make a banana loaf, not that it isn't yummy, but I wanted to try something different. When I went to my favorite tastespotting.com and typed in "banana" into the search box I scrolled through quite a few recipes for different variations of banana loaf before I came across one for "hummingbird cake".

The recipe appealed to me because it was simple, easy, and had a twist using crushed pineapple and chopped pecans. Also, the idea of baking it in a bundt pan made for a nice presentation. Of course the cream cheese icing on top also scored points in my book.

The cake turned out moist and delicious and everyone enjoyed it after dinner. According to my aunt, who later phoned my mom, my uncle really loved it and has been taking it to work with him as well. Although I liked how it looked coming out of the bundt pan, I think I may use a regular 9" x 13" pan next time because it took a long time to bake all the way through and that resulted in the outside being a little too crusty for my liking. Despite that fact, I was still satisfied and based on their comments it seemed everyone else was too.

Hummingbird Cake

For the cake:

• 1½ cups pecans, chopped
• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1¾ cups mashed banana (approximately 3-4 large bananas)
• 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
• ¾ cups canola oil
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

For the cream cheese icing:

• 4 oz (½ cup) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 tbsp milk

1. In the oven or on the stove, gently heat the pecans for 5-8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 
3. Add the eggs, mashed banana, pineapple, oil, and vanilla. Stir just until all of the ingredients are combined. (The batter will be lumpy)
4. Gently stir in one cup of the chopped pecans.
5. Grease a large bundt pan with butter or non-stick spray and pour the batter into the pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60-80 minutes, or until a knife poked all the way to the bottom comes out clean. (Mine took the full 80 minutes) If the top starts to brown too quickly cover the pan with aluminum foil.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before carefully loosening the cake and flipping it over. Allow the cake to finish cooling for about an hour on a wire rack.
8. Meanwhile, blend the ingredients for the icing. Add more milk if desiring a more liquidy consistency. 
9. Once the cake has cooled, pour the icing over top and sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans. 

Taco Cups

My family really loves Mexican food, especially me, my mom, and my brother. When we used to live in the states we ate Mexican food quite often and some of our favorite places included Qdoba and Azteca. However here in Vancouver there doesn't seem to be all that many restaurants offering Latin food so we mostly satisfy the craving by cooking it for ourselves at home. Some personal favorites of mine include fajitas and chicken tortilla soup.

Last week, my parents were away on vacation and I had to cook for myself and my brother. At first I was going to make chicken enchiladas because they're simple, easy, and pack well work work. However my brother complained that I have made enchiladas too many times and he wanted something different. I fulfilled his request by making these taco cups, inspired by my petite lasagnas but with Mexican flavors.

My brother was very grateful that I listened to his request and altered my plans to please his appetite. In fact he ate almost an entire tray (9 taco cups to be exact) in one sitting! He said that the taco cups were even better than the petite lasagnas because it included a lot of meat and cheese. I think another reason why they tasted so great was the use of smoked paprika, a new favorite ingredient of mine. Lately I have found that adding just a hint of smoked paprika into savory dishes brings out a wonderful taste and smell. It's also great because it gives a Mexican flavor without being overly spicy. Based on my brother's enthusiasm, I think it's safe to say these taco cups will become a repeatable favorite.

Taco Cups

• 24 wonton wrappers
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• ½ can tomato paste
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• Shredded Mexican cheese blend
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat some olive oil over high heat in a large skillet and add the ground beef. Cook until no pink is visible then drain the beef and set aside.
2. Using the same pan, heat some new olive oil and sauté the chopped onions over medium heat until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. 
3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped pepper and zucchini and cook until the vegetables have softened. Once soft, return the beef to the pan.
5. Mix in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Stir well to ensure everything is coated evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Spray two muffin pans with non-stick spray and place one wonton wrapper into each well.
7. Divide the beef mixture evenly among the wells, filling almost to the top.
8. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over top of the beef for each well.
9. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted. Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before carefully taking the cups out of the pan.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

A few nights ago my grandmother came over for dinner and my mom and I prepared baked chicken parmesan and cheese börek. In addition, I also made an almost-salad by roasting some butternut squash and plating it over a bed of lightly mixed leaves with balsamic vinegar. The dish was extremely simple but so tasty. I was a little concerned that the butternut squash might be too sweet but the acidity of the balsamic vinegar helped to balance the flavor. I also took the leftovers with me to work the next day for lunch and it still tasted just as good, though the leaves were a little wilted.

During dinner my grandmother also inquired about how to properly prepare quinoa as she had recently bought some at Costco. She explained that after coming home from a previous dinner at our house, my grandfather commented on how much he enjoyed my roasted beet quinoa salad. I gave her the recipe and directions, with some helpful explanations from my mom, and she said she would try to make it. Halfway through dinner my brother came home and spent the rest of the evening entertaining us with his less-than-perfect but hilarious Russian skills.

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 2 lbs (about 6 cups) butternut squash, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
• Handful basil leaves, finely chopped
• Salad leaves (spinach, arugula, kale, etc)
• Sunflower seeds
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl toss the cubed butternut squash with the coconut oil, chopped rosemary and basil, some olive oil, and salt and pepper. Make sure all of the butternut squash is well coated with the oils and seasonings.
2. Lay the pieces in a single layer on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the pieces are fork tender. Stir the squash every 10 minutes to ensure even baking.
3. While the squash is baking, toast some sunflower seeds for about five minutes over medium heat or until they just start to color and sizzle. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Toss the salad leaves with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well to ensure all the leaves are dressed.
5. Once the butternut squash is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before plating the pieces over the salad leaves. Sprinkle with the toasted sunflower seeds over top.

General Tsao's Chicken

Last week I made Mongolian chicken with broccoli one night for dinner, though I had originally intended to make general Tsao's chicken. I had seen the recipe on my now favorite morning talk show The Chew and wanted to try it out but my mom thought my brother wouldn't like it because of its sweetness. However he later informed me that he is not as picky about sweet flavored meats anymore and was willing to try it.

I'm glad that my brother's taste buds have changed and that he has expanded his appetite because the chicken tasted great and I would have never made it had he not given me the "okay". The cornstarch provides a relatively thick coating which holds on to the sticky sweet sauce. At the same time, this recipe is a lighter version of the traditional dish as there is no deep-frying involved. Together with some fried rice this chicken is sure to hit the sweet spot for Chinese food at home.

General Tsao's Chicken

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 egg whites
• 6 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sambal
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves (sliced)
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• Olive oil 
• Salt and pepper

1. Whisk together the egg whites and cornstarch. Toss the cut pieces of chicken in the mixture, making sure to coat well.
2. Saute the chicken pieces in a large pan over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes on all sides, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. While the chicken is cooking, combine the soy sauce, sambal, honey, orange juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.
4. Saute the garlic and ginger for about a minute or until fragrant.
5. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the pan and continue to heat until boiling. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and mix well to coat evenly with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Mongolian Chicken with Broccoli

When it comes to food, Mondays in our household can go either one of two ways: we either have a lot of food leftover from things we cooked on the weekend or we ate everything over the weekend and the fridge is relatively empty. As it happened, this week we fell into the latter category and my mom and I knew we had to cook some food for everyone to eat for dinner/take to work for lunch.

We decided that we would prepare something with chicken, as my parents had recently purchased about a month's supply from Costco, and I suggested something Asian. As my family loves Asian food I wasn't too concerned about needing to go to the store for anything as our pantry is well-stocked with various Asian ingredients.

At first I suggested general tsao chicken, a slightly sticky and sweet Chinese recipe. However my mom pointed out that my brother is not a big fan of sweet in his meat (though he does have the biggest sweet tooth I've ever known...go figure) so instead we went with a Mongolian recipe.

Although the ingredient list is long, the recipe itself is actually quite easy and came together quickly. Of course there were two of us preparing it together so that made the entire process even faster. The original recipe did not include the broccoli but since we had it on hand, and because I love stir-frys with broccoli, we threw it in. My brother of course picked the broccoli out of his portion but I happily ate it (though I did make him eat a few). I also made my asian quinoa slaw as a side and watched my mom happily sneak spoonfuls out of the pan while we cooked the chicken.

Mongolian Chicken with Broccoli

• 1 lb boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, cut into strips
• 1 large broccoli head, cut into pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (can substitute with 1 tsp ground ginger)
• ¼-½ tsp red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar, divided (½ + ½)
• 3 tsp cornstarch, divided (1 +2)
• 4 tsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp + 4 tsp water
• Olive oil 

1. Mix together the oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to create a marinade. Pour over the chicken and mix well to ensure chicken pieces are completely coated. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce by combining the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and ground ginger is using. Stir well and set aside.
3. Separately combine the remaining 2 teaspoon of cornstarch with the 4 teaspoons of water. Mix well to dissolve the cornstarch and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and then saute the onions until golden brown. Add the garlic, red chili flakes, and fresh ginger (if using) and cook for another minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Set aside.
5. Using the same pan, add the chicken and saute until cooked through and the pieces start to brown. Drain any excess liquid from the pan and then add the cooked onion mixture back in.
6. Create a space in the center of the pan and pour in the prepared sauce. Briefly re-stir the cornstarch water mixture then add it to the sauce.
7. Stir the sauce until it starts to thicken then mix it into the chicken. 
8. Reduce the heat to low and add the broccoli. Mix well to make sure the broccoli is well coated with the sauce. Continue to cook for a few more minutes to allow the broccoli to soften slightly.

Optional: The chicken can be garnished with some chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Baked Fish en Papillote

A few nights ago I decided to finally act upon a cooking technique that I first learned about over two years ago. I had seen it come up a few times on tastespotting.com, my favorite site to browse for recipes, and thought that it sounded intriguing. But somehow it always remained on the back burner until a few weeks ago when my mom and I were watching Food Network and it was featured on Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa.

The technique that I am referring to is called "fish en papillote" or "fish in paper". Basically the idea is to create a little packet, made of parchment paper, that includes the fish as well as some herbs and seasonings. The fish is baked in the paper packet and the steam that builds up inside allows for the fish to cook slowly and gently, absorbing all of the flavors of the herbs and seasonings inside.

I am so glad that I finally got around to trying this out! This technique is great for a number of reasons. Firstly, there is no strict recipe that needs to be followed...it can be done using any white fish and a number of different herbs and seasonings. I decided to make a somewhat Mediterranean style dinner and used halibut, lemon, capers, rosemary, and spinach. However I think it would also be great with some Asian flavors such as teriyaki, ginger, and soy.

Secondly, the packets can be prepared ahead of time and then refrigerated until ready to bake. For example, I made all of the packets on Friday and we ate some for that night but I saved the rest and baked them the next day when my grandparents came over for dinner. The fish tasted just as good when baked the following day and I put it in the oven straight from the fridge.

Finally, I think the technique is great for easy entertaining and small dinner parties. When the packets are ready and torn open they release a wonderful aroma and look beautiful with the fish inside. Also, the delicious juices are held within the packet and continue to provide fragrance and flavor to the fish.

Everyone in my family enjoyed the fish and I was quite pleased with how it turned out. I still can't believe it took me two years to try it but better late than never!

Baked Fish en Papillote
Note: This is an example of ingredients that can be put into the paper packet, therefore quantities are not important. Just be sure to follow the folding technique so that the paper packets are sealed and no steam escapes.

• Individual white fish fillets (6-8 oz portions)
• Lemon (sliced into rounds, zested)
• Baby spinach
• Fresh rosemary (can substitute with thyme or oregano)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tbsp capers, chopped
• Handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• Salt and pepper

1. Combine the chopped capers, parsley, garlic clove, and lemon zest with the butter. Mix well until all of the ingredients are integrated in the butter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Fold a large piece of parchment paper in half, lengthwise. Make one long cut diagonally along the bottom corner and two shorter diagonal cuts along the top. When unfolded it should resemble a heart.
3. Place a handful of spinach in the center of half the paper heart. Spoon some of the prepared butter on top of the spinach, distributing a few pieces throughout.
4. Lightly season the fish fillet with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the fillet on top of the spinach and then spoon some dabs of butter over the fish.
   
5. Place a slice or two of the lemon on top as well as a half sprig of rosemary. 
6. Fold the other half of the parchment over and starting from the bottom corner make small overlapping pleats all the way around to seal the edges completely. 
7. Repeat with remaining fish fillets. Once ready, transfer all of the packets to a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. (Generally about 12 minutes per inch of thickness). The parchment should puff up as the steam builds up inside.
8. To serve, cut a small hole in the center of the packet and gently tear apart to the side. Make sure to tear centrally and lengthwise along the packet so that it stays mostly intact and the juices remain inside.