Coconut Macadamia Cookies

HEY guess what? I'm getting better! I can actually, semi-decently bake a cookie now! I've perfected some cookies before but that's just because they were really simple, hard-to-mess-up recipes. But these? I've been making these my whole life because they are one of my mom's favorites and ever since I can remember they've always been too browned on the bottom or weird-shaped, but still yummy nonetheless.

Well this time I actually made these babies perfectly! They perfectly spread on the baking sheets, weren't browned on the bottom, golden brown on top and soft and chewy on the inside! I guess practice really does make perfect. I love life lessons come to reality!

This cookie dough scoop really makes life easier:

The perfect shade of golden brown!

Coconut-Macadamia Cookies

Yields: about 30 cookies

Original recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup flaked coconut

1 jar (3 1/2 oz.) macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix butter, sugars and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda, dough will be very stiff. Stir in coconut and nuts. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I suggest rolling into a ball, then flattening to about 1/2 inch thick with your two palms). Bake until light brown, 8 - 10 minutes (centers will be soft). Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

Tailored Tuesdays

Deliciously creamy!

1. Cutler & Gross 'Humble potato D frame acetate glasses'

2. Burberry 'Silk knit cardigan'

3. D&G Dolce and Gabbana 'Lace shift dress'

4. Miu Miu 'Large stamped patent leather wallet'

5. Jimmy Choo 'Dalton metallic leather sandals'

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

Smores Oatmeal

I used to absolutely abhor oatmeal. The thought of it made me cringe and possibly invite gag reflexes as well. Today? Quite the opposite. I love it, so much so, that I've been eating it every single freaking day! Can you imagine? And I haven't gotten sick of it either. I know! I even surprise myself.

But it's probably for the better anyway, since oatmeal is so good for me. It's nice to know that I'm filling myself up with such a nutritious breakfast that also tastes delicious. I love finding new ways to eat my oatmeal, and this way is definitely a keeper. I know it's kind of decadent for breakfast, but what I do is take out all of the sugar from the oatmeal recipe since the marshmallows and chocolate provide enough sweetness. And you can put as little or as many toppings as you want; completely customizable!

Camp fire fun at home!

Smores Baked Oatmeal

Yields: about 6 - 8 servings

Printable Recipe

1 recipe Baked Oatmeal, sans sugar

Mini Marshmallows

1 large bar Hershey's chocolate bar, broken into pieces

Prepare the oatmeal. Spoon one serving, about 1/2 a cup, into a small bowl. Top with desired amount of mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces. Using a blow torch, toast the marshmallows until browned. If you don't have a torch, set your oven to broil and broil for 5 - 8 minutes or until marshmallows are nice and toasty. Enjoy!

Ooey, gooey goodness.

What a way to start the morning!

Gorguyeo Korean BBQ {Garden Grove, CA}

Ah, Korean BBQ, how I love you so...
Though my all-time favorite Korean BBQ in Orange County is Cham Sut Gol, Korean BBQ anywhere usually makes me happy. This one was no exception to that rule.
The jap chae was delicious, but then again it always is :)
They serve the traditional sauces, though I like the ones at Cham Sut Gol better. And of course, with any all-you-can-eat, tons of meat!!
Chin chin! Here's for good times!

Yelp

Website

Nem Nuong/ Grilled Pork Spring Rolls

I've been on an ongoing spring roll 'kick' recently. I just can't get enough of them! I'm working my way through making every kind imaginable and in existence. My newest conquest? The nem nuong or grilled, cured pork roll. It's delicious and if you live in the Southern California area, you've probably heard of Brodard.

Brodard is a restaurant which is famous for these little rolls. They've perfected it almost down to an art. And to top it off, have created a dipping sauce that no one has ever come close to mastering or even replicating. Now mine are no where near Brodard's, BUT they are still delicious to boot. Served with a traditional 'nuoc cham' they are still a healthy and satisfying lunch.

I found the recipe from The Ravenous Couple, a blog I love! I basically use this blog to dust off my Vietnamese cooking skills, because when I grow up and have a family, I need to learn how to make this stuff! Just because I sadly, cannot speak Vietnamese doesn't mean that all of my culture has to go down the drain! This recipe isn't at all complicated; sure, there are some steps involved but if you take it one at a time, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results AND if you happen to live near a Vietnamese grocery store, they also sell pre-cured pork that you can just grill yourself!

Nem Nuong Cuon/ Spring Rolls with Grilled Pork Patties

Yields: enough for 5 - 8 people

Original recipe can be found here.

For the crispy chive rolls (optional):

Chives

Egg roll wrappers

1 egg

2 tbsn. water

For the nem nuong patties:

2 lbs. ground pork

2 heads of garlic, peeled and separated into cloves (use more or less to your taste)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsn. salt

1 tbsn. pepper

4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup water

1 package of rice paper wrappers

Lettuce

Cucumbers, sliced into thin rectangles (1x2 inches)

Mint

Cilantro

Pickled carrots & daikon (optional)

Nuoc Cham, for dipping

First, to make the crispy chive rolls, mix the egg and water and beat well, set aside. Take your chives and cut then in half, to make them short enough to fit inside the egg roll wrapper. Take an egg roll wrapper and place some chives (about 5 - 6) near the top of the paper and then roll downwards to form a cigarette. Use some egg wash at the bottom to seal it all together. Deep fry until golden brown, drain and set aside.

To make the nem nuong patties, using a food processor, process the garlic until it is a fine puree. Combine the pork, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder and water and stir. Add it to the pork and fold in, then chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Form the refrigerated meat mixture into patties or mini sausages (sausages are easier to roll in the spring rolls). Keep a bowl of water handy to keep your hands wet in order to help with forming the meat. Grill the meat until cooked, about 4 - 5 minutes per side.

To make the spring rolls, have all of your veggies ready. Grab a large bowl of warm water and have it ready for the wrappers. Take a rice paper wrapper and moisten in the warm water. Tap off any excess water and then place on a flat surface. Place some lettuce, cucumber, a fried chive roll, and pickled carrot/ daikon slaw near the upper top of the rice paper. Top with some fresh chives, if you have them, and some of the grilled pork. Do not overstuff them or else the rice paper will break. Roll the rice paper over the veggies and tuck the sides in (see tutorial below).

Tailored Tuesdays

Because charcoal & crimson make my heart sing.

As does Marc.

1. Splendid 'V-neck merino blend cardigan'

2. Bottega Veneta 'Pleated strapless dress'

3. Marc by Marc Jacobs 'Bird cage Jennifer quilted bag'

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs 'Double wrap bolt cuff'

5. Miu Miu 'Leather multi strap sandals'

all images can be found atnet-a-porter.com

Words

"If you can't do what you imagine, then what is imagination to you?"

I just love these photos, I feel like the combination of them perfectly represents the imagination.

1. 'IMG_8256' by Jason Benjamin

2. 'The Fair' by Marie's Shots

3. 'Peacock' by Marie's Shots

4. 'Old Labels' by Marie's Shots

5. 'Elephants' by Marie's Shots

6. 'Ramsey' by Bakinbitz74

7. 'Cupcake2' by Marie's Shots

(There are numbers on the photos, and I know they're tiny but if you click on the photo it should enlarge. Sorry about that!)

Nutella Banana Wontons

What to do with extra wonton wrappers?

Make dessert wontons!

These are really simple and impossibly easy. Stuff some wonton wrappers with anything your heart desires; mine heart happened to flutter with the thoughts of Nutella and banana combined. Mmmmm. Topped with some creamy vanilla bean ice cream and simple raspberry coulis? Simply divine. These are best, best, best fresh out of the fryer but they were still good warmed in the oven later on.

Nutella Banana Wontons

Yields: 20 wontons

Original recipe can be found here.

For the wontons:

20 wonton wrappers

2 medium sized ripe bananas, sliced

Nutella

Vegetable oil, for frying

Water, for sealing

For the raspberry coulis:

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed

2 - 3 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

Place a dollop, about 2 tsp. of Nutella in the center of the wonton wrapper, then place a slice of banana on top. Dip your finger in water and use it to wet the edges of the wrapped. Fold the wrapper in had and pinch the edges together to seal the wonton. In a pan, heat a 1/2 inch later of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot, about 365 F. Place the wontons into the oil and cook them in small batches until golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Once golden brown, remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate. To make the coulis, combine everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve and then refrigerate until used. Once they have cooled slightly, top them with ice cream, dust them with powdered sugar, serve them with the coulis, or do whatever you'd like!

Mmmm banana & Nutella filling:

Cream Pan {Tustin, CA}

Ahhhhh the joys of Cream Pan. With a name like that, I just knew I was going to love it. I looooove cream, custard, pudding, all things as such. As you can see below, the people from Yelp love Cream Pan, but in reality, I think ALL people love Cream Pan.
Just look at it, look at that beautiful, gorgeous, sight for sore eyes. This is their most famous item, the strawberry croissant, that almost always sells out midday. That's why you have to make sure you get there early enough to get your grubby paws on them. It's a delicate croissant, slathered in custard, topped with fresh strawberries then snowed with powdered sugar.

B-E-A-utiful!

The custard bun was equally as good. Again, if you love custard as much as I do, you'll be very pleased with this one!

Yelp

Empanada's Place {Costa Mesa, CA}

Ever since I came home from Chile, I've been missing everything about it, even the food. Why wouldn't I miss the food, you ask? Well, to be honest, Chile has some of the most non-exciting and non-delicious food I've ever encountered. But, the one thing I did like was the empanadas.
In the search for them, I came across Empanada's Place, a restaurant that specializes in all things empanadas. And that, they do. The varieties here are awesome, and you can choose from 10 + different kinds!
While these empanadas are fried and not baked, they are a bit heavier than what I'm used to and can get a bit on the heavy side but they are delicious none the less. My absolute favorite was the onion & cheese (last picture) - it was so savory and gooey and just perfect. But really, almost all of them quelled my cravings!

Yelp