Cooking

Sunday Brunch: Bacon and Egg Gua Bao makes 2 buns, scale as needed total time: 10 minutes Jump to Have you guys had bao before? It’s kind of a catch all term for steamed buns – you know the kind that you see at  dim sum in the steamy baskets , or maybe at your favorite Chinese joint, with pork belly tucked in? Bao come in all shapes and sizes but I’m especially fond of the fold over variety. When I see them, all puffy and fluffy, just waiting for fillings to be stuffed in, I get a little giddy thinking about the multitude of possibilities out there. Steamed buns make the perfect vehicle for a quick breakfast sandwich. If you keep a stash of frozen buns in your freezer, you’re halfway to a quick and easy fun take on a classic bacon and egg bun. I tend to stock up on these little buns when I’m at the Asian grocery store, just because they’re so convenient. Sometimes I take the time to make a huge batch to steam and freeze, but when I do, I find that most of the b...

Totoro Soot Sprite Avocado Onigiri makes 1, scale as needed total time: 5 minutes Jump to recipe Are you guys familiar with  onigiri ? They’re Japanese rice balls and they’re incredibly popular as a simple meal or snack. Even if you haven’t eaten them before, you’ve probably spotted the onigiri emoji – it’s the white triangle (rice) food item with a tiny black square (seaweed) at the bottom. Onigiri are ubiquitous in Japan; walk into any convenience store and you’ll find a wall of triangular (and round) onigiri just waiting to be eaten. The first time I was in Japan, I spent hours in a 7-11, which is nothing like the 7-11 around these parts. In Japan, they have fresh salads, grilled meats, bentos, and of course, a huge variety of onigiri. I remember standing in front of the fridge onigiri display for so long that I was worried I would get kicked out, but of course the ever-polite Japanese clerk didn’t bat an eye. You can buy o...

Dim Sum Barbecue Pork Buns makes 9-10 buns total time: ~ 4 hours Jump to recipe I don’t know about you guys, but these days I don’t have the opportunity to make as many new friends as I did when I was younger. The older I get, the  harder it is to really connect with people . Maybe it’s because I’m a crotchety old lady, or maybe it’s because life is so much more complicated than, “hey, come over after school and play.” Still, every once in a while someone comes along who I fall in  friend-love  with. Full disclosure: if I like you, I tend to latch on with a fierceness that I’m afraid can be a little bit alarming. As scary as I am, I must be doing something right because the effervescent Alana, from  Fix Feast Flair  is not just an online friend, but a real life one too. I suspect if we lived closer together, we might not-so-sneakily find a way to be neighbors. As it is, normally we’re about a thousand miles apart. But, ...

Sweet and Savory Cheddar Cheese Muffins makes 16 mini muffins total time: 20 minutes Jump to recipe Sometimes I see little kids at the mall with their parents and it brings me right back to when my mom used to take me along with her to run errands. I used to be bored out of my mind. I didn’t at all understand why or how my mom could spend what seemed to me hours, picking out fruits and vegetables – or worse yet – household stuff. There was a silver lining though – errands always ended with a trip to the library (yes, I was a nerdy kid) and a stop for cheddar cheese muffins. There’s a Canadian muffin chain that is in almost every mall I’ve ever been to as a small child. They bake their muffins fresh throughout the day and the smell wafting from their little kiosks is absolutely intoxicating. I remember their chocolate chip muffins being especially good, but once I had a taste of their cheddar cheese muffin, I was a goner. They’re sweet, savory, and...

Mini Beef Wellingtons makes 6 individual portions total time: 2 hours Jump to recipe Do you ever find yourself obsessed with TV shows? It happens to me a lot, especially if I have the self-restraint to wait until a show is completed so I can binge watch. There’s something so satisfying about clicking next episode over and over again until you’ve reached the conclusion. Downton Abbey  is something that I’ve been holding out on because it’s just about to reach it’s sixth and final season. I so desperately wanted to wait, but I gave in to temptation and now I’m cursing myself because I absolutely need to see season six immediately. I love so many things about Downton, but what I find particularly fascinating – aside from the hair, clothes, and intrigue – is the food. I’ve always had a soft spot for English food. Things like Cornish pasties,  fish and chips ,  shepherd’s pie , bangers and mash, and Yorkshire puddings are some of my favorite com...