Tomorrow after work, we’re having a Potluck Party.
A Potluck at a pot company. Couldn’t pass up this pun. Lol.
This is a a party that I’ve been leading as I proposed the event. It started as a holiday potluck, but changed to a general potluck after rescheduling to mid January so everyone could attend, and to limit the risk of spreading or catching covid after the holidays.
I’m bringing two dishes to it, which will be recipe posts next week. One: Twice-baked Alaska and braised greens. I also wanted a 30-day advent calendar with weed as the prize each day, but… I’ve been too tired after work and spread myself too thin organizing the party. My duties at work have changed in the past month and turned to much more physical tasks of knocking joints and, much more often, grinding weed.
Being able to knock joints or grind weed is a massive step in progress. For long stretches last year, I would not have been able to do these for half or more of a shift. I would compare it to the physical and mental focus that working as a cook in a restaurant requires. One needs physical energy, being able to stand on your feet for hours of the day, attention to detail, checking for quality and speed, and focusing on repetitive tasks for hours.
I digress
Despite the tight time before and after work to cook this week, despite my worry about catching covid in a small space –though it will be required that everyone take a covid test and have a negative result–, despite the stress and exhaustion I’m feeling… It will be all worth it once it’s party time. Then I can relax and enjoy myself like I did at the company Halloween party.
I’ll be doing my part to see that not too many people are in the trim room getting food to mitigate exposure risk.
Well, this short post is all I have time for this week.
I started this post last year and didn’t post it because I felt I missed the best time to post it… Because I made them right before Halloween. While delicious and great any time of year, the Pumpkin spice season peaks in October. It’s November… Whatever lol. Without ado, I present Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls. This recipe is a modified version of a common cinnamon roll recipe. The difference in the dough is about twice as much flour and an additional 1/4 cup of Sukrin Gold – Natural Brown 1:1 Sugar Substitute to compensate for the canned pumpkin and spices. The number of spices may look too much, but it’s intentional. I like bold flavors, and spices are the best part. This is truly one of the greatest recipes I have come up with on my own.
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
I just saw this morning as I was editing this post and did some google searches. What hilarious timing!
14 Oz pumpkin puree (Note 14oz out of 15oz total from the can)
3/4 cup Sukrin Gold – Natural Brown 1:1 Sugar Substitute
1 egg
1T vanilla extract
Cinnamon-Pumpkin Spice Filling:
3T ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1t ground allspice
2tsp cloves
1 T ground ginger
1 T salt
2T vanilla extract
6oz or 1.5 sticks of Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
3/4 cup Sukrin Gold – Natural Brown 1:1 Sugar Substitute
Pumpkin Frosting:
1/2 cup confectioners monk fruit sugar
1 oz pumpkin puree
1 T almond milk
The process:
The core flavors of the rolls… Pumpkin puree, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.
Step 1:
Grind your spices. Freshly ground spices, ground to a fine powder. It takes 1-2 minutes, but worth it. A good electric grinder achieves this.
In a large bowl, or in a Kitchen Aid mixer, combine the flour, spices, salt, yeast and sugar and whisk together so the dry ingredients are blended together. Which will look something like this:
Blend the spices with the dry goods so it is evenly combined.Step 2: Using the hook attachment on your kitchen aid blender, add the wet goods to he dry. Mix on low until the dough comes together in a sticky mass, then turn to medium speed for about 5 minutes. This is to build gluten in the dough and create its texture.Step 3: This is the texture you are aiming for. It is sticky to your fingers, and a solid but sticky mass that is one piece. Make sure to scrape the sides with a spatula and roll it into a ball. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with a clean towel.Step 4: Place your dough in bowl in a warm place or 100 degree oven (like a warm summer day if you put your hand in the open oven.) for the dough to rise and double in size.Step 5: Check your dough. This is what it will look like doubled in size or risen.Step 6: Prepare a space to work your dough to knead.Step 7: Roll out your dough. I use a rolling pin that I run with flour, and sprinkle flour on the top of the dough to help it from sticking to the table or rolling pin. This is a sticky dough so be generous with the flour.Step 8: Roll your dough out into a large square shape about the dimensions of a square sheet pan that is about 1 inch tall.Step 9: Melt the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks in a microwave. Combine with the spices, vanilla extract and Sukrin gold and whisk it until it combined. I let the filling sit while working the dough to give the spices time to infuse into the fat. This is different from most cinnamon roll recipes which separate the butter sugars and spices. It will look a little loose. That’s okay. Simply stir it again real quick before applying to the dough in the next step.Step 10: Spread the filling. You want to leave 2 inches on the edges.Step 11: Roll up the roll.Step 11.5: How to roll a cinnamon roll in gif form that I found online.Step 12: Not my picture. Forgot to take one. Divide the dough into 12 pieces.Step 13: Spray your pyrex pan with nonstick spray (or brush with cooking oil), then carefully place each piece of the roll in it. Bake at 350 degrees for at least 22 minutes or an internal temp of 200 degrees F.Step 14: remove from the oven to cool. It is hard, but be sure to wait at least 20 minutes!Step 15: Check the texture by poking a roll. It should have a springy texture. You can also use a thermometer. Tee temperature should be no more than 200 degrees. Allow to cool to room temperature before applying glaze!Step 16: While the rolls are cooling, Make the glaze. Combine the powdered monk fruit, the vanilla extract and the canned pumpkin to the kitchen aid. You will have to wash the bowl before blending the ingredients with the whisk attachment. It is done when there are no lumps.Step 17: Apply the glaze with a brush evenly across the top of the rolls.Serve and enjoy!
Post recipe reflections
I really should start making videos of recipes…
Thank you for reading this post! If you enjoyed this, please let me know below in the comments! If you made this, please let me know what you think! You can subscribe to the blog below. And you can check out previous recipes and cooking-related posts below!
For whenever you want pizza, but don’t have time or the energy to make sauce or crust. It’s still tastes great!
Lazy Pizza
Cooking time: 30 minutes.
4 servings
1 loaf of nice bread. In this recipe I use garlic bread
1 jar tomato sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 can sliced olives
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (minimum, I like cheese)
Half jar sundried tomatoes
Salt
Ground black pepper
The key ingredients in this recipe are: The bread, the sauce, and the cheese. Everything else in this is toppings.
Essential garlic bread. A great brand to use for this recipe. I like to buy 3 and freeze them. 1 can of tomato sauce contains about 3 recipes worth
Step 1: bake your bread.
Note, this is only necessary if using a “take and bake”. Skip if using regular bread. You want your bread to have a large surface for toppings.
Step 2: Toppings
Canned goods ready to go.
This recipe uses (canned) garlic, and fresh rosemary, so you want to cook them first.
How to prepare rosemary. The stem isn’t tasty, and only breaks down with long cooking. Therefore you only want to eat the leaves.
Remove the rosemary leaves by pinching, and slide fingers down. Discard stems.
Add the garlic, olive oil, and rosemary to a small pan. Finish with pinch of salt and a couple grinds black pepper. Simmer on low for 7 minutes. The last photo is what to look for. Drain the cooking oil, and set aside. This is now an infused oil.
Step 3: Assemble
Cut bread in half (if using unsliced bread). Spread tomato sauce in an even layer.
1, without sauce
2, half sauced
3, complete.
Add the cooked garlic and rosemary on top of the sauce layer. Spread evenly. I add this now to ensure consistent flavor.
Add half the cheese, then one at a time layer the olives, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes.
Add the rest of the cheese.
Step 4: bake at 375 F for 25 minutes
Or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F when checked with a thermometer.
The finished pizza.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes… (The hardest part)
Thanks for reading! If you made this, tell me what you think!
This is after the pork cooled, and I forgot to take a picture before shredding it.
Jamaican Jerk Pork
Prep time 10 minutes.
Marinate for at least 1 day. I didn’t have time to wait another day this time, and it was still delicious.
Cooking time 90 minutes.
Jerk Marinade
2.5 pounds pork shoulder
Marinade spices
1/4 cup whole Allspice
1T fresh thyme
2T salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 T smoked paprika
1 T black pepper
Add the allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, smoked paprika, and salt into an electric grinder. Remove the thyme leaves from the stems. Toss the stems. Add thyme to grinder. Grind to a fine powder.
Before grinding. I added the smoked paprika later in the wet ingredientsAfter grinding. This is the consistency you want for the jerk seasoning. This is without the smoked paprika.
Marinade liquids:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup minced garlic
1/3 cup minced ginger
1/4 cup habanero hot sauce.
*Further hot sauce to your spicy food tolerance. This recipe would be 3/5 stars at a restaurant*
All 5 of these hot sauces combined to 1/4 cup. 4 of these had habanero pepper as it’s pepper.
Add all the liquids into a quart glass measuring cup, and add the ground spices. Mix together. Next, pour the marinade into a plastic Ziploc bag with the pork. Put that bag into a larger container to prevent spills or cross contamination. Marinate in the fridge for 24 hours minimum.
Pour the marinade and pork into the glass pan. The liquid marinade will reduce as this cooks.
I suggest moving the rack down one layer. I didn’t check before I turned the oven on. The bottom rack is a future recipe 😉
Turn oven down to 370 F for 60 minutes. Or until the internal temperature reaches 180F. Pork shoulder meat should easily pull apart with forks or melt apart when finished.
This is after the pork cooled, and I forgot to take a picture before shredding it.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before eating.
I am totally adding Jerk Pork to my favorites list. Apparently you can use these seasonings with most meat/proteins. Jerk seasonings are versatile.
I only wish I bought more than 2.5 pounds of pork. Oh well, I’ll have to cook it again! 😋
Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think in the comments! I’ve been meaning to post more recipes and I have 9 more left as a goal for October.
2 minute melted marshmallows with Heath bar toffee bits.
Ingredients:
9 large marshmallows;
1/3 cup Heath bar toffee bits.
Microwaveable bowl
Instructions:
Place 9 marshmallows in a microwaveable bowl.
Microwave on high for 25-30 seconds.
You want them to double in size like a fluffy white cloud.
Pour the 1/4 cup of Heath bar bits, and enjoy! I recommend using a spoon.
It’s a gooey, sexy dessert. The joy of eating melted warm marshmallows! 😋
Comfort Eating…
I’ve been turning to food for comfort lately. So much has changed recently. I didn’t realize how much stress I was under until I talked to a nurse after she told me my covid test was negative. I’m in utter shock how much I’ve changed since a year ago. I feel like I have entered a new, wonderful era of my life. I’m worried because I’m trying to be mindful and accept all these positive feelings of love, and to stay realistic. Holy shit I have a girlfriend. She likes me as much as I like her. She want to see me as much as I do her. Both of us wary of coronavirus. Shit, shit, shit, shit. Being apart from my girl is torture. The vaccine can’t arrive soon enough… Never thought love would feel so good. Finally its the right time, the right person, the right me. Wow!
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Please wear a mask outside that covers your mouth and nose, wash your hands, clean your cell phone, and keep your physical distance (6 feet) from others to fight Covid-19!
Chicken Adobo with sauteed Bok Choy and Jasmine rice.
Last week I wrote how I felt burned out, despite my life being really privileged and easy compared to others. Coming into 2020, my goals were to continue my journey of personal transformation into the person I want to be. It’s been a difficult year for all of us in the world. Corona virus or not, that is life. I am discovering the things I need to work on, and building on my strengths. This doesn’t end for any of us. So, in order to continue to grow, I’m going back to what I am good at, which is cooking. Like walking, everyone has to learn how to cook. Despite growing up in a family of cooks, I wasn’t interested in it until after high school. Until I was 19, all I knew with cooking was: baking cookies, and making chili. Chicken Adobo was one of the first things I learned in college from my fellow Filipino classmates. This recipe is a comfort food, and delicious any time of the year. Without further ado, here is my recipe for Chicken Adobo (because I know I’m annoyed when people have a personal story before a recipe) :
Chicken Adobo:
Six Servings, Cooking time: 90 minutes.
(Metric to imperial notes: 2oz is 1/4 cup; 8oz is 1 cup; 15ml is 1 tablespoon)
3 pounds chicken thighs, skin on;
2oz sunflower oil;
2 large onions, about 1 pound weight, sliced;
2oz grated ginger
2oz minced garlic
8oz soy sauce
8oz apple cider vinegar
4oz apple cider vinegar (Added at the end to hit the right sour notes)
1 quart chicken stock
4oz water
15ml Sriacha hot sauce
15ml chili paste
30 ml fresh ground black pepper
30ml kosher salt
30ml black peppercorns
3oz packed brown sugar
2 bay leaves
The juice and flesh of 1/2 lime. (Added in at the end with the 4oz apple cider vinegar)
Start by sprinkling the kosher salt and ground black pepper on one side of the chicken thighs. In a large pot pour in the oil, and set the heat to high.
In the middle of sprinkling the kosher salt on the chicken thighs.The chicken thighs seasoned on one side. I find it useful to do this while they’re in the package.
Place the seasoned Chicken thighs side down into the hot pan. Carefully place each thigh in the pan with tongs. You want to leave a little space between as seen below so the facedown side is browned. This step is to build flavor from the browned skin.
You want the cooking oil to be so hot that smoke rises. This is what you want to see in the pan after carefully placing the seasoned Chicken in. Note if you place the chicken in with your hands, wash them!
Once the chicken is in the pot, season the other side with the kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook on high for 8-10 minutes.
Here is what I wrote about Anthony Bourdain on June 8th, 2018 in a journal entry: Another person I idolized was found dead by his own doing. Anthony Bourdain, dead at age 61. Bourdain joins Robin Williams, and Chester Bennington as cultural icons that I admired… All dead from suicide. Despite seeming to have it all, none could continue living. Depression makes it seem like it will never go away. Like there is no point to life. Maybe there isn’t, but when in the darkness, you feel the weight of its nothingness. Welcome to the suicide generation…
I tried to write a post on June 8th this year, but couldn’t. Instead I turned to cooking for comfort. I turned my horror at the world that week into a present for a friend. (Which she said was exactly what she was craving… Really chocolatey brownies) Anthony Bourdain ended his life by suicide. A tragedy as suicide always is. I’d rather celebrate his life, his birthday, today June 25th. While alive he taught me through his travel shows how to cook dishes from around the world, and showed me what a big world we live in. To be honest, I haven’t yet read Kitchen Confidential, the book he is most known for, (I finally bought it last night on Audible!) and which gave him a second career in his 40s.
He opened my eyes to the world through food. He was no nonsense, tell it like it is, not afraid to swear, adventurous, and compassionate. He could sit down, eat, and talk with anyone from former president Barack Obama to rock stars, to local people in any country. It’s been two years since he died, and this year is the first time I’m not sad by his death. He was a role model to me. A model of how to be a good human being, a good man, an example that you can be successful from nothing later in life. Him dying, and from suicide hit especially hard because I struggle with depression, and had close calls with suicide before. I hope his tragic death was a wake up call to others who looked up to him, who also struggled with depression and suicide.
To my friends and family that read this blog: It’s hard to admit I have been suicidal before. It’s not something I wish anyone to feel. Depression is hell. Yet many people struggle with it in silence. I’m feeling like I fit in with the world for the first time in a long time, right now in quarantine, which is strange. All the feelings others are experiencing now… The fear of dying, the paranoia, the fear of the unknown future, feeling confined, trapped, lonely, anger, frustration, and despair is what it feels like to be suicidal. Sometimes my fight with it feels like a Muay-Thai fight. You survived, but I’m sore, worn out, exhausted. But I’m alive. I’m so grateful that I haven’t done it, because as strange and stressful this year has been, I’ve never felt closer or more connected to you and the world. Ironic since we are stuck at home. Therefore I need to apologize. I’m sorry I never told you. That I didn’t reach out in my darkest moments. It’s impossible when fighting it to think of anything else. It creates a dark tunnel where you see nothing else but the void. The hard part is that you “think” you have to break out of this darkness alone when you are vulnerable. Which is a lie. Thankfully I have a therapist I fit with now, which was the major reason I haven’t received the help I’ve needed for years for my depression. That is not having a therapist I click with, or the therapist leaving for many reasons. You can’t do therapy without a consistent therapist, or one you don’t click with like a friend.
If nothing else, in my darkest moments, it’s 1 more reason to live. He taught me that everyone has an impact on others even if it isn’t clear to the person in the darkness struggling with mental illness. It ‘s hard to watch the later seasons of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown because you could physically see the toll on him. Watching his shows helped me become a better cook, a better person, a creative mind I could emulate. Gave me hope that I could still be successful later in life, despite struggling professionally.
I went and got takeout from Rainer Restaurant tonight. From right to left: Salt and Pepper Prawns, Sizzling Pepper Eel (the first time I have had cooked eel before), and Stir Fried Garlic Ong Choy. Everything was delicious! Also, the restaurant was giving away the pink flower in a pot. Guest starring, our messy kitchen table.
My mother and I went to Rainier BBQ (https://www.rainierrestaurant.com/) that Friday for dinner after I found out it happened. The place was filled. It was the first time I had been there before. I ordered the Beef Ong Choy salad, which Bourdain had while filming the segment there for his tv show The Layover some other dishes which were delicious. A person at another table told a server working there about Anthony Bourdain, and she cried. I still haven’t watched the final episode of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Thank you Anthony Bourdain. Rest in Peace.
Thank you for reading this, if you enjoyed it, please give it a like, comment, and share on Facebook. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list for updates! Please wash your hands, clean your cell phone, and keep your physical distance from others to fight Covid-19!
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