Kem Flan

I was going for a Vietnamese food theme tonight, and since my oven quit working, I couldn't make the pie that I wanted to. My quest for dessert became a little easier to decide when I remembered I had just bought a flan pan and thought I should use it.  My husband really likes flan.  This flan is the Vietnamese version.  If you don't already know, flan is a custard based dessert that has a wonderful caramelized sugar topping.

 The caramelized sugar and creamy texture are truly divine!

Ingredients for this Recipe Are:

Caramel:

1/2 cup Cane Sugar

Flan:

6 Eggs

6 Egg Yolks

1 14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

14 oz Milk

14 oz Hot Water

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Pour sugar into small saucepan over high flame on stove.

Cook and stir sugar with wooden spoon until sugar begins to bubble and caramelize.

Remove pan from stove and pour sugar into a 1.5 Quart Flan pan, 9 inch square pan, or oven safe oval baking dish.

Mix eggs and egg yolks together with a whisk in a bowl.

Pour condensed milk in a bowl.  Add hot water to can to top then pour into condensed milk. 
Add milk to can to top and add to mixture.

Mix milks and water together.

Add milk mixture to eggs and whisk until combined.

 Pour flan mixture into pan with caramelized sugar and cover with flan lid or aluminum foil.

Place wok on stove top.

Place steamer insert in wok and fill wok with water to within a 1/2 inch of bottom of steamer.

Boil the water.

Place flan pan inside steamer, cover steamer with lid.

Reduce heat to medium and steam flan for 30 minutes.

Allow flan to cool then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

 Invert flan using the flan lid if you used a flan pan or a plate.

The Flan has been revealed.

Enjoy!

Kem Flan

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

Caramel:

1/2 cup Cane Sugar

Flan:

6 Eggs

6 Egg Yolks

1 14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk

14 oz. Milk

14 oz. Hot Water

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Caramel Process:

Pour sugar into small saucepan over high flame on stove.

Cook and stir sugar with wooden spoon until sugar begins to bubble and caramelize.

Remove pan from stove and pour sugar into a 1.5 Quart Flan pan, 9 inch square pan, or oven safe oval baking dish.

Flan Process:

Mix eggs ands egg yolks together with a whisk in a bowl.

Pour condensed milk in a bowl, add hot water to can to top then pour into condensed milk, add milk to can to top and add to mixture.

Mix milks and water together.

Add milk mixture to eggs and whisk until combined.

Pour flan mixture into pan with caramelized sugar and cover with flan lid or aluminum foil.

Steamed Process:

Place wok on stove top.

Place steamer insert in wok and fill wok with water to within a 1/2 inch of bottom of steamer.

Boil the water.

Place flan pan inside steamer, cover steamer with lid.

Reduce heat to medium and steam flan for 30 minutes.

Baked Process:

This process may also be done in an oven set 350 Fahrenheit.

The flan pan should be placed in a large dish with water coming up 2/3 of the pan.  

Bake flan for 45-50 minutes, until the flan is firm in texture.

Enjoy!

Phở Bò (Vientnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

My sister-in-law Rachelle asked me to make Phở Bò (pronounced fuh) a long time ago.  I don't even remember when.  I have been compiling the ingredients and trying to figure out how I would make it.  Today in honor of our friend's the Alemany family who are moving to Utah, we had them over for Phở Bò   This morning I started to set all of ingredients together on my cutting board and realized I was missing Fennel, Fish sauce, and a piece of chuck beef.  I turned on the oven to preheat and went shopping at U Mart a wonderful local Asian grocery store.  I picked up the ingredients and went home.  When I got home I noticed a burnt smell, and the oven was no longer turning on.  Which means that I would not be charring the onions and ginger in the oven.  Thankfully the oven quitting did not stop me and my cause to prepare Phở Bò for our friends the Alemany's and Siri's mom Ann Stone.  I have never had Pho Soup nor have I made it, but unbeknownst to me Siri, Michael, and Ann had all eaten Phở Bò and could tell me if I came at least close to making what they had eaten before. This Pho is for you Rachelle!

 I really love how it looks, how about you?

Ingredients for the Pho Soup Base:

2 Yellow Onions 
4" nub of Ginger
5 lbs. Beef Marrow Bones
1 lb. Beef Chuck Top
6 quarts of Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds 
5 whole Star Anise
1 Black Cardamom Pod
6 whole Cloves 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt 1/2 cup Fish Sauce

8 x 8 inch square of Cheesecloth
Butchers Twine

 Peel onions and cut in half through the root.

Cut ginger in half lengthwise.

Thankfully although my oven is not turning on my stove is working.

Place ginger and onion halves directly on stove top burners with flame on high.

Char the onion and ginger until blackened on all sides.

Place cinnamon, coriander, fennel, star anise, cardamom, and cloves inside cheesecloth and bring up sides with twine and tie the bundle tightly.

Put onions, ginger, herb/spice bundle, water, fish sauce, salt, beef chuck, and bones into a pressure cooker pot.  

Set pressure cooker to low and cook for 90 minutes.

After cook time has ended and pressure has released place a large mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a large stockpot.

Pour pho broth and all ingredients into sieve.

Allow broth to drain and remove from pot.  

Check flavor of pho broth, add salt or fish sauce if desired.  Keep broth hot, place on stove top burner set to medium.

Ingredients for Pho Soup:

Pho Broth

1 bunch of Mint

1 bunch of Thai Basil

1 bunch of Cilantro

1 lb Flat Rice Noodles

2 lbs Beef Sirloin Steak

2 cups Bean Sprouts

Rinse mint, basil, and cilantro under cold water and remove leaves.

Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions.

Freeze sirloin steak for 15 minutes.

Thinly slice sirloin steak across the grain.

Keep pho broth hot on stove top.

Place desired amount of steak in bottom of bowl, add noodles, herbs, and sprouts and pour 
hot broth over soup.

The hot broth will cook the sirloin steak to perfection.

Enjoy!

Pho Soup

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for the Pho Soup Base:

2 Yellow Onions
4" nub of Ginger
5 lbs. Beef Marrow Bones
1 lb. Beef Chuck Top 
6 quarts of Water
1 Cinnamon Stick

1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds

1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds 

5 whole Star Anise

1 Black Cardamom Pod

6 whole Cloves 
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt 
1/2 cup Fish Sauce

8 x 8 inch square of Cheesecloth

Butchers Twine

Process for Pho Soup Base:
Peel onions and cut in half through the root.

Cut ginger in half lengthwise.

Place ginger and onion halves directly on stove top burners with flame on high.

Char the onion and ginger until blackened on all sides.

Place cinnamon, coriander, fennel, star anise, cardamom, and cloves inside cheesecloth and bring up sides with twine and tie the bundle tightly.

Put onions, ginger, herb/spice bundle, water, fish sauce, salt, beef chuck, and bones into a pressure cooker pot.  

Set pressure cooker to low and cook for 90 minutes.

After cook time has ended and pressure has released place a large mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a large stockpot.

Pour pho broth and all ingredients into sieve.

Allow broth to drain and remove from pot.  

Check flavor of pho broth, add salt or fish sauce if desired.

Ingredients for Pho Soup:

Pho Broth

1 bunch of Mint

1 bunch of Thai Basil

1 bunch of Cilantro

1 lb. Flat Rice Noodles

2 lbs Beef Sirloin Steak

2 cups Bean Sprouts

Process for Serving Pho Soup:

Rinse mint, basil, and cilantro under cold water and remove leaves.

Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions.

Freeze sirloin steak for 15 minutes.

Thinly slice sirloin steak across the grain.

Keep pho broth hot on stove top.

Place desired amount of steak in bottom of bowl, add noodles, herbs, and sprouts and pour hot broth over soup.

The hot broth will cook the sirloin steak to perfection.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Pie

My dad is famous in our family for making delicious strawberry pie.  I love strawberry pie.  We have a grocery store nearby called California Farmers Market.  Every time I shop there I can't help but ask myself does this store even at all remind me of California?  Not really, but it is cool to buy produce grown in California.  One of my favorite finds at this store are the strawberries.  New York City is not known for good produce, in fact it is difficult to find certain produce that tastes good, one of those items is strawberry's.  California Farmers Market has the ripest sweetest strawberries.  I bought the strawberries and made my daughters promise, cross their heart and hope to die promise, they would not eat any of these strawberries.  Thankfully they didn't eat the strawberries, and I made a pie with them. My pie is not like my dad's.  I made the crust using my graham cracker recipe that I already shared with you, and I didn't use Junket filling like my dad.  I made my own.  I brought the pie I made to my husbands work and everyone loved it, so I figure that means it is blog worthy.

 I love the glistening strawberry's and yes the crust was so very yummy.

Ingredients for Graham Cracker Crust:

1 1/2 cups Oat Flour
1 1/2 cups Spelt Flour
2/3 cup Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 tablespoon Molasses
3 tablespoons Raw Honey
2/3 cup Turbinado Sugar

 Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

 Mix dry ingredients in a bowl: flours, cinnamon, turbinado sugar, sea salt, and baking soda.

 Add coconut oil, molasses, and honey.  Using your hands mix together until combined.

Press dough into a 9 inch by 2 inch tart pan.  I use a tart pan because it is easier to cut and serve the pie slices.  Freeze pie crust for 15 minutes.

Bake pie crust for 10 minutes.

Ingredients for Strawberry Pie:

4 lbs. Strawberry's
1/2 cup Cane Sugar
1 1/2 cups Water
1/2 cup Tapioca Flour
1 Pre-baked Graham Cracker Crust

Clean 1 lb. of strawberry's.  Remove green stems and put in a small sauce pan with water and sugar.  

Cook over a medium flame until boiling.

Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Remove pan from heat and using a potato masher, mash the strawberry's.

Strain the strawberry's into a bowl and return strained strawberry juice to small saucepan.

Cook strawberry juice over medium heat.

Slowly sprinkle in tapioca flour while whisking.

After adding all the flour turn of heat.

Clean remaining 3 lbs. of strawberry's, remove stems and cut in half.

Place strawberry's in pie crust.

Pour strawberry filling over fruit.  

Allow pie to cool and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving

Enjoy!

Strawberry Pie

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for Graham Cracker Crust:

1 1/2 cups Oat Flour
1 1/2 cups Spelt Flour
2/3 cup Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 tablespoon Molasses
3 tablespoons Raw Honey
2/3 cup Turbinado Sugar

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl: flours, cinnamon, turbinado sugar, sea salt, and baking soda.

Add coconut oil, molasses, and honey.  Using your hands mix together until combined.

Press dough into a 9 inch by 2 inch tart pan.  I use a tart pan because it is easier to cut and serve the pie slices.  Freeze pie crust for 15 minutes.

Bake pie crust for 10 minutes.

Ingredients for Strawberry Pie:

4 lbs. Strawberry's

1/2 cup Cane Sugar

1 1/2 cups Water

1/2 cup Tapioca Flour

1 Pre-baked Graham Cracker Crust

Clean 1 lb. of strawberry's, remove green stems and put in a small sauce pan with water and sugar.  

Cooker a medium flame until boiling.

Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Remove pan from heat and using a potato masher, mash the strawberry's.

Strain the strawberry's into a bowl and return strained strawberry juice to small saucepan.

Cook strawberry juice over medium heat.

Slowly sprinkle in tapioca flour while whisking.

After adding all the flour turn of heat.

Clean remaining 3 lbs. of strawberry's, remove stems and cut in half.

Place strawberry's in pie crust.

Pour strawberry filling over fruit.  

Allow pie to cool and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Orange Julius

My family, especially my husband, loves milk shakes.  We came up with our own version of an Orange Julius shake many years ago, and still love making it.  My husband's family enjoyed a lot of milk shakes growing up.  My family didn't use the blender ever, it seemed like.  The blender has been one of the quintessential kitchen appliances in our home since our wedding day.  I have come to appreciate the simple milk shake because of my husband and his family's tradition.  As for the Orange Julius, you might not know what it is unless you are from California.  I remember going to the mall and ordering an Orange Julius, it is like an orange creamcicle, but you drink it.  This recipe is a joint effort from both my husband and I.  We have used countless quarts of vanilla ice cream and various brands of Orange Juice to create this special milkshake.  If you know and love Orange Julius, and miss it as much as we do, this recipe is for you.  If like us, you were only able to afford an Orange Julius on very very rare occasions, even though you live near a mall with one inside, then this is also for you.  Orange Julius and Hot Dog on a Stick, the two small fast foods joints I remember fondly from my childhood mall day's. I didn't spend a lot of time in the mall growing up truthfully.  I do remember being in the mall with my two daughter's when they were young and we went to Picture People to have them photographed, afterwards we would get an Orange Julius as a treat.  Enough reminiscing, time to share the super easy recipe.

 That is a glass of memories, family time, and tradition worth drinking.

Ingredients for this Recipe Are:

48 ounces Vanilla Bean Ice Cream 

Orange Juice (preferably not from concentrate)

 Scoop ice cream into blender cup.

Add orange juice until it reaches the top of the ice cream.

Place lid on blender.

Blend until smooth.

Add additional orange juice for each desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Orange Julius

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

48 ounces Vanilla Bean Ice Cream 

Orange Juice (preferably not from concentrate)

Process:

Scoop ice cream into blender cup.

Add orange juice until it reaches the top of the ice cream.

Place lid on blender.

Blend until smooth.

Add additional orange juice for each desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers

My husband's co-worker Fernando has been gone from the office here in Queens and working in Long Island for the past month.  He told Parley upon his return that he had missed my home cooking and asked for lunch again with Parley this week.  Today I made lunch for the guys.  I decided to make a recipe I haven't made in several years, Polish pirogies.  Last time I made them was with our friend's the Bailey's back in my full size kitchen in our house in California.  I love this recipe because it is a comfort food.  It has all the ingredients to make a down home meal.  

 My children and I shared this lunch with my husband and his friend/co-worker Fernando.

Ingredients for Pierogi Dough: 

4 1/2 cups Spelt Flour

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Butter, melted

2 cups Sour Cream

2 Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (not pictured)

Ingredients for Pierogi Filling:

8 Red Potatoes

1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda Cheese

4 Green Onions (not pictured)

 In a large bowl combine flour and sea salt and stir.

 Combine butter, sour cream, eggs, and vegetable oil in another bowl.

Combine liquid and dry ingredients to form a ball.

Cover bowl with pierogi dough for fifteen minutes.

Place potatoes in stock pot with enough water to cover

Turn burner to medium/high and bring water to a boil.

Cook potatoes until fork tender.

 Cut greens onion into small rings.

Mash potatoes, cheese, and green onions together with potato masher.

Roll out half of the pierogi dough at a time on a floured surface to 1/8 inch.

Using a 3 inch circle cookie cutter cut the dough into as many circles as possible.

Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture into middle of the pierogi dough round.

Dip finger into water and dab onto half of the outer edge and fold dough over the filling and 
crimp and seal.

Boil a large pot of salted water.

Add pierogi's one at a time to the pot.  Cook until they float and remove from pot with slotted spoon.

Place pierogi's on a towel.

Ingredients for Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers:

2 lb. package of Hot Italian Sausage

2 Green Bell Peppers

1 Yellow Onion

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Dice peppers and onions into 1 inch pieces.

Pierce sausage with knife several times.

Preheat large saute pan over medium/high burner.

Pour oil into pan.

Add onion, and peppers to pan, stir.

Place sausages into pan being sure they touch the pan.

Brown sausages on each side.

 Cut sausages into four pieces, cover with lid and continue cooking until completely cooked.

Remove sausages and onions, and peppers to a plate.

Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to pan and sauté pierogi's until brown on each side.

Cook pierogi's in stages.

Serve pierogo's with sausage, peppers, and onion.

Enjoy!

Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for Pierogi Dough: 

4 1/2 cups Spelt Flour

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Butter, melted

2 cups Sour Cream

2 Eggs

1 Egg Yolk

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Ingredients for Pierogi Filling:

8 Red Potatoes

1 1/2 cups shredded Gouda Cheese

4 Green Onions

In a large bowl combine flour and sea salt and stir.

Combine butter, sour cream, eggs, and vegetable oil in another bowl.

Combine liquid and dry ingredients to form a ball.

Cover bowl with pierogi dough for fifteen minutes.

Place potatoes in stock pot with enough water to cover

Turn burner to medium/high and bring water to a boil.

Cook potatoes until fork tender.

Cut greens onion into small rings.

Mash potatoes, cheese, and green onions together with potato masher.

Roll out half of the pierogi dough at a time on a floured surface to 1/8 inch.

Using a 3 inch circle cookie cutter cut the dough into as many circles as possible.

Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture into middle of the pierogi dough round.

Dip finger into water and dab onto half of the outer edge and fold dough over the filling and crimp 
and seal.

Boil a large pot of salted water.

Add pierogi's one at a time to the pot, cook until they float and remove from pot with slotted spoon.

Place pierogi's on a towel.

Ingredients for Polish Pierogi's & Sausage Peppers:

2 lb. package of Hot Italian Sausage

2 Green Bell Peppers

1 Yellow Onion

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Dice peppers and onions into 1 inch pieces.

Pierce sausage with knife several times.

Preheat large saute pan over medium/high burner.

Pour oil into pan.

Add onion, and peppers to pan, stir.

Place sausages into pan being sure they touch the pan.

Brown sausages on each side.

Cut sausages into four pieces, cover with lid and continue cooking until completely cooked.

Remove sausages and onions, and peppers to a plate.

Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to pan and sauté pierogi's until brown on each side.

Cook pierogi's in stages.

Serve pierogo's with sausage, peppers, and onion.

Enjoy!