Crispy Rice Pizza

Have you guys ever read Momofuku for 2? I looooove this blog. I've been fascinated by the likes of David Chang and his Momofuku chain of restaurants ever since it crossed my path. Momofuku for 2 is like my little ticket into Momofuku heaven and besides that, Steph, the author, makes her own utterly delicious looking Asian-inspired concoctions that make me weak at the knees!

Anyways, this is a winner. Pure & simple. Everything listed in the ingredients list is delicious on their own, and even more so when combined into this spectacular and easy to make dish! The only hard part of this dish would be making the pulled pork, but I simply used pre-made pulled pork, which made it even easier! Of course, I suggest making your own if you want to really knock your socks off but I had some on hand :)

Some people don't like crispy rice but I LOVE it, it's a bit crunchy, a bit chewy, a lot delicious. You get the fulfilling bite from the pulled pork, the tanginess from the kimchi and the velvety richness from the egg yolk. Let's all say it together: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Like a little piece of heaven!

Crispy Rice Pizza

Yields: 2 servings

Original recipe here.

1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked short grain rice*

1/2 cup pulled pork

1/4 cup kimchi, roughly chopped

2 eggs

oil

Pour enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of a small cast iron skillet** and heat it up over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the rice and pat it down so that it forms a round rice cake. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the rice crisp up to form a crust. Be patient, this may take a while. After about 15 minutes, use a small spatula to lift up the rice cake to see if it has a golden brown crust. If it does, turn it over and crisp up the other side. If it doesn't five it a few more minutes before flipping. Once flipped, go ahead and fry up a sunny side up egg in another pan. While the egg is cooking, top the rice cake with some of the pulled pork and kimchi. When the egg is cooked, pop it on top of the rice cake and add a couple more pieces of pork and kimchi. Repeat this process to make another pizza. Enjoy hot!

*Short grain rice is essential for this dish because other rice varieties won't stick together to form a cake

** If you don't have a small cast iron skillet, feel free to make it in a regular pan

Dig in!

Latticed Peach Pie

I was studying at the dining room table in our family living room, when my dad emerges from our backyard clutching onto a basket with a smile on his face. He called me to the door and when I looked inside, I smiled too! He had a big basket of small, pretty, little fuzzy peaches. Our garden has been sprouting all kinds of goodness lately, from Chinese apples to plums to mint and basil! It's such a joy for our family to enjoy things that we have grown from our garden.

Well to grow something is one thing. But to grow something that is delicious, is a whole other thing. These peaches, homely and small they might be, were perfect. Just a bit soft to the touch but still firm, bright and yellow on the inside and sweet like nobody's business. My dad, who loves pie, begged me to make a pie with them. So I did, and here it is!

I used my favorite pie crust, one that is unctuous and incredibly flaky. I sort of created my own recipe, drawing inspiration from many sources. I wanted to make sure I didn't spice it too much, so that the peach flavor would shine and I also wanted to make sure it wasn't overly gooey or runny, which is why I decided to pre-cook the peaches slightly in a pan before baking them in the pie. This pie, simply put, was perfect, just like the peaches. I really felt I did them right, which they deserve, quite frankly!

Not the perfect lattice top, but I like how rustic it is.

Latticed Peach Pie

Yields: 1 9-inch pie, about 8 servings

Pastry for a double-crust pie, my favorite

2 1/2 lbs. peaches, about 5 large peaches

2/3 cup brown sugar

4 tbsn. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 tbsn. butter

To prepare the crust, sprinkle a clean surface with some flour. Roll out one disk, large enough to fit a 9-inch pie tin. Fit to the tin and leave one inch hanging over the side, removing the excess. Refrigerate until ready to use, and save other disk for the top.

To prepare the filling, combine the peaches, sugar, flour, salt, and spices in a large pan. Heat over medium heat until the peaches release their juices. Remove the peaches from the pan, using a slotted spoon, leaving the juice mixture. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes to allow the liquid to thicken, then add the peach pieces back and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie tin. With the remaining disk of dough, roll out large enough to fit the pie tin. Cut into 9 even strips and lattice across the top of the pie, 5 going widthwise and 4 going lengthwise. Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 F and bake for 20 - 30 minutes until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

Add some lightly sweetened cream, and you're all set!

All hail the perfect peach pie!

Spicy Chai Latte

Have you read Sprouted Kitchen lately? If not, you should do so, immediately, if not sooner!!

Sprouted Kitchen is one of my favorite blogs and is the love child of Sara & Hugh. Sara is the foodie and Hugh is photog, and basically, they make the perfect pair. The food is simple and fresh, as is the photography. It's such a place of inspiration for me!

A cup of chai & yesterday's paper: perfection.

Anyways, on to this spicy chai latte. I could wax on and off about the joys of this concoction. It's heart-warming and has a bit of kick that you feel in the back of your throat, which is immediately calmed by the bit of sweetness and creaminess from the milk.
I've searched far and wide for a good chai recipe, and this is it. I will look no further. It's pretty simple too. Once you round up all the various spices, it just takes about 10 minutes to chai nirvana. If you're feeling a bit luxurious, top it with a bit of lightly sweetened whipped cream, if not, it's perfect as it is!

Tons of ginger make for a perfectly spicy chai latte!

A collection of luxurious spices (top left to bottom right): star anise, cardamom, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick.

Spicy Chai Latte

Yields: 4 servings

Original recipe here.

4 bags of black tea (darjeeling, english breakfast, etc.)

1 cup milk

2 in. piece of ginger, cut into pieces

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. cardamom seeds

1 tsp. black peppercorns

3 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

star anise (optional)

brown sugar or honey, to taste

In a small plastic bag, combine the peppercorns, cardamom and cloves. Use a mallet or heavy skillet to crush the spices into coarse pieces. In a saucepan on medium heat, combine the milk, crushed spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and star anise (if using). Allow the milk to come to a gentle boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Allow everything to steep for about 15 minutes. While the spicy milk steeps, bring water to a boil. Combine the 4 tea bags with 2 cups of boiling water. Allow the tea to steep for 4 minutes then discard the tea bags. Add the tea to the spicy, warm milk. Use a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter to remove the spices. Add brown sugar or honey to taste, stir and enjoy warm!

I just got this new mug, and I'm quite enamored with it!

Tailored Tuesdays

I am sooooo obsessed with those earrings!

And the shoes too, they would match anything.

1. Duffy 'Layered cashmere cardigan'

2. Alldressedup 'Gathered silk top'

3. Victoria Beckham Denim 'Waxed mid-rise skinny jeans'

4. Bottega Veneta 'Snakeskin slouch bag'

5. Tom Binns 'Silver plated swarovski crystal earrings'

6. Jimmy Choo 'Private patent leather sandals'

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

Mixtape

So far, I'm loving the new Sufjan Stevens releases! I've been anxiously waiting for him to release new songs since I don't even remember when. I guess he's no longer going the one CD per state route, although I secretly wish he still was. My new favorite though has to go to Hoodie Allen, I love how they incorporate sampling into their songs.

And I adore these remixes of William Fitzsimmons. Sometimes his songs can be a little slow paced for me, so these are the perfect version - or I think, anyways.

Since I can't host files anymore, I provided links to how you can grab your hands on these songs though the Hype Machine - one of my favorite websites ever!! Sorry for the inconvenience.

Crystal Castles

[Vanished]

Sufjan Stevens

[Enchanting Ghost]

[I Walked]

Calvin Harris

[You Used to Hold Me]

Yeasayer

[ONE]

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

[Janglin - RAC mix]

Hoodie Allen

[Words of Wisdom ft Two Door Cinema Club]

[You are Not a Robot ft. Marina & the Diamonds]

Bassnectar

[Magical World ft. Nelly Furtado]

William Fitzsimmons

[So This is Goodbye - Pink Ganter Remix]

[I Don't Feel It Anymore - George Raquet Remix]

Wale

[New Soul ft. Yael Naim]

- - -

I also, loove this song [Sara Bareilles - King of Anything]. This music video is super fun. I especially love when she "plays" her piano of forks and the polaroid-ish format.

Open-Faced Fresh Blueberry Pie

There's nothing more summery than a pie! Well, that's what I think at least. A nice cool slice of pie topped with mounds of fluffy whipped cream or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, doesn't the thought of it sound dreamy? Dream no longer folks. Make this pie and the reality is yours!

This is quite possibly one of the easiest, but most delicious, pies I have ever made. You could even do without making your own crust and buy a pre-made crust (don't worry, I won't tell). What I love about this pie is that only 1/4 of the berries are cooked while the rest are folded in later, untouched and impossibly fresh. This pie isn't too sweet, and bursts in your mouth with every bite. It really is spectacular! Oh, and the filling to this pie stands really well! After letting the pie rest, the pie slices soooo nicely and doesn't goop and gush all over the place, which is nice for a change!

I didn't have enough blueberries on hand so I used a mixture of blueberries and blackberries, and by gosh was it fantastic! This was a new pie crust recipe I tried, which though I did like, I prefer the one I used here better. This pie crust was not as flaky and more cookie-ish. So depending on your preference, you can use either one.

Had to have that gratuitous innards shot!

Open-Faced Fresh Blueberry Pie

Yields: 1 9-inch pie, about 6 servings

Original pie recipe here.

Original pie

crust recipe here.

For the crust:

1 1/8 cup flour

1 tbsn. sugar

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 - 4 tbsn. water

For the pie:

4 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup + 2 tbsn. water, divided

2 tbsn. cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups whipped cream, optional

To make the pie crust, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal or large peas. Add 3 tbsn. of water and pulse until the dough begins to form a ball; you may need to add more water if dry. Turn out into a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough in half and gently pat each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling. Roll out the crust, large enough to fit your pie tin. Transfer to the pie tin, cutting off the excess and crimping the edges. Let chill in the refrigerator before baking for 15 - 30 minutes to prevent shrinking. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the pie shell with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes covered, then remove the pie weights and liner and bake until lightly golden, about 10 - 15 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

To make the filling, measure out 1 cup of blueberries, choosing the softest ones. Place them in a medium saucepan with the 1/2 cup of water. Cover and bring them to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining 2 tbsn. water, set it aside. When the water and blueberries have come to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 - 4 minutes or until the blueberries start to burst and the juices begin to thicken. Stirring constantly, add the cornstarch mixture, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Simmer for a minute or until the mixture becomes translucent. Immediately remove it from the heat and quickly fold in the remaining 3 cups of blueberries. Spoon the mixture into the baked pie shell and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. When set, the berries will remain juicy but will not flow out of the crust. Just before serving, if desired, pipe or spread the whipped cream around the sides of the pie, leaving the center unadorned.

Blueberry dreams...

Green Tea & Strawberry Cupcakes

Today's post will be short and sweet, just like these cupcakes!

Basically, if you combine a perfectly moist little matcha cupcake with the easiest fresh strawberry custard and top it with an impossibly perfect fresh strawberry swiss meringue buttercream, the results are spectacular!

And, of course you cannot deny how impossibly beautiful these things are. I love the combination of this green and pale pink together. But, the combination of green tea and strawberry is much, much better!

Perfectly domed cupcakes :)

1. Take a cupcake.

2. Cut a hole in the cupcake.

3. Fill the hole with strawberry custard.

4. Top with strawberry buttercream!

Green Tea & Strawberry Cupcakes with Custard Filling

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Adapted from here.

For the cake:

3/4 cup + 2 tbsn. cake flour

1/2 cup + 2 tbsn. all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsn. matcha powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

For the custard:

1 small box of instant vanilla pudding

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

10 - 15 large strawberries, washed and hulled (more or less, to your taste)

For the SMBC:

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tbsn.), cut into 12 pieces

Strawberry puree or preserves

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a cupcake tin with liners and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and matcha powder. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the butter, mixing until the cubes of butter are peanut sized or a little smaller. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add the wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down the sides of the bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Divide the batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 17 - 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the custard, whip the first four ingredients together until it is well combined and begins to thicken, about 3 - 5 minutes. Place in refrigerator to let chill and thicken some more until ready to use. Chop the strawberries into small dices, and place onto a paper towel lined plate. Place some paper towels on top and place in the refrigerator to allow the water from the strawberries to seep out, about 10 minutes. Once most of the water has been released, fold the strawberries into the custard and continue to refrigerate until ready to use. To make the frosting, put the egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water making sure the bottom does not actually touch the water. Stir the egg whites until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and place into the mixer stand. Beat until it becomes white and doubles in size. Add the vanilla on low speed, then add the butter, one piece at a time, making sure it is well mixed after each addition. Do not worry if it looks curdled, it will take some time for it to come together. Continue beating for 5 - 10 minutes until everything comes together. Add the strawberry puree or preserves until desired berry taste. Spread/ pipe/ smother onto your cupcakes and enjoy!!

The custard says, "Peek-a-boo!"

La Palette's (Straw)berry Tart

It's summer here where I live more than ever - the sun is beating down and the second I step outside of my oh-so-nice-and-cool-house is the second I hiss like a vampire and begin to melt into a pile of goop. Sooooooo not pretty. But do you know what is pretty? This tart!

It's possibly the epitome of summer desserts and perfect because it doesn't require much slaving over hot stoves or burning ovens. It's delightfully simple. A tart dough that practically makes itself in the food processor and doesn't require rolling! Just a simple pat, pat, pat into the tart shell and poof, that's it.

Taste wise, this tart is equally as stunning. The tart dough is lightly sweetened and buttery, sort of like a shortbread. The jam adds a sticky sweetness that's always desired and of course the fresh fruit is the real stunner. I used a combination of berries because I just happened to have them, but any combination will do. I added a little lemon cream for an extra dimension, which personifies summer even more so!

La Palette's (Straw)berry Tart

Yields: 1 9-inch tart, about 6 - 8 servings

Adapted from here.

best quality strawberry jam, or any berry jam you have on hand

1 quart ripe strawberries, trimmed and halved if large (I used mixed berries)

For the sweet tart dough:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

9 tbsn. very cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk

For the lemon cream:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup lemon curd, store-bought or home-made

To make the tart dough, combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in, with varying pieces in size. Stir the egg yolk to break up and add it to the food processor, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the whole yolk is in, process in long pulses until the dough begins to clump together. Turn the dough out onto a board and knead it enough to incorporate any flour that didn't get mixed in. Press the dough into a well-buttered 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit it tightly across the crust, buttered side down. Bakke for25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 8 - 10 minutes, or until the crust is evenly browned and firm to the touch. Let crust cool completely.

To make the lemon cream, whip the heavy cream using a hand mixer or a stand mixer until peaks form. Do not over beat or else it will turn into butter. Use a spatula to fold in the lemon curd and vanilla until no streaks appear, refrigerate until ready to use. To assemble the tart, spread a thin layer of jam on the crust. If your strawberries are not sweet enough, you can toss them in a little sugar, to taste, otherwise assemble them on top of the jam. The tart is best when eaten immediately after being assemble. Enjoy with lemon cream!

LOOK at that cross-section! Buttery tart shell, ooey-gooey jam, fresh fruit & refreshing lemon cream :)

Target

Gilt Groupe just released their advanced showing of the new Target capsule collections and most of everything is already sold out!!! These are some of my favorite brands, reinterpreted into something more affordable for someone like me & you!

These Tucker items are so adorable. I love floral but Tucker really does the theme especially well, in clothes that make me want to smile and meander through a field of wheat!
I loooooooooooooooooooooooove Mulberry (and that's an understatement). I actually just got a 'knock-off' version from Forever 21! But these are the real deal, real Mulberry, just cheaper! I love these patent black versions, but I'm not loving that heart detail (I'd just rip it off)!
I've never heard of John Derian before and looking at these items, it makes me sad I hadn't! These are utterly gorgeous statement pieces for a modern home... and I need to get my hands on them immediately! Immediately, I tell you!

In case you don't know what Gilt Groupe is, it's a great website that offers amazing deals on designer clothing. It's still a bit out of my price range, but it's always nice to graze through. Since most of these items are already sold out, just wait a bit and they should be available at your local Target soon!