Easiest, Best Microwaved Corn on the Cob

Recently, my brother-in-law while visiting here and doing some sightseeing in the Seattle, Washington area had a taste for sweet corn on the cob. So we stopped by a local farmers market and purchased a few ears of sweet corn that we were assured had just been picked that morning. My brother-in-law was anxious to show me how to microwave the ears and how to easily remove the heated cob of corn from the husk completely without any silk attached to the corn. As soon as we returned from the market, he put 2 ears of corn in my microwave. After microwaving, he removed the hot ears of corn and sliced off the widest ends with a sharp knife. He lifted up the pointed, tasseled end and then shook out the cob of corn without a single strand of silk attached. I was amazed. I always appreciate learning new things and finding better ways to do things. Although I had just learned a valuable new method of microwaving corn on the cob, I was not completely satisfied because the corn on the cob that my brother-in-law had just prepared tasted somewhat dry. So I modified his technique with two minor changes. First, I sliced off the widest ends before, not after, placing the ears of corn in the microwave oven because after the ears are heated, holding onto the hot ear of corn while slicing off the widest end will burn your fingertips or necessitate using a glove or oven mitt. Second, wrapping each ear of corn with a water-dampened sheet of paper towel before placing it in the microwave oven will ensure that the microwave-heated ear of corn is moist, sweet, and delicious.

Ingredients:
2 or more ears of sweet corn (note: as soon as sweet corn is picked, the natural sugar starts to change into starch, which means it loses its freshness and sweetness.)

Directions:

Place ear of corn on cutting board.

 Using a sharp knife, slice off the widest end of the cob.

Moisten 1 sheet of paper towel per ear.

Wrap each ear of corn in moistened paper towel.

Place corn in microwave oven and set microwave for 4 to 5 minutes for each ear (required time varies with different microwave ovens – adjust accordingly). After removing corn from microwave oven, remove paper towel.

 Grasp tapered, tasseled end of husk and shake over clean surface – the hot ear of corn inside will slide out the other end silk free. Serve plain or with butter, margarine, salt or other seasonings as desired.

 

Blackberry Cake with Strudel Topping

It is blackberry time in the Northwest Pacific! My friend and I get up early every day now so we can go on the road and pick the early batch of blackberries. We take advantage of the free berries everywhere we go now. I don't know how to do it right, but my friend seems to be an expert for picking berries. I just follow her guidance, and I have learned quite a lot from her. I now can identify when the ripening berries are ready for picking to determine when I can come back the next time. I can see that people, especially women, who live in Washington State, do know how to pick berries just like I have just learned from my friend. Sometimes, we thought that we arrived early enough, but usually someone else has already been there for the juicy berries. We have a lot of fun doing this. We share our recipes for making blackberry pies, muffins, and cakes and also some tips for making blackberry jam or freezing blackberries for next season. The recipe of blackberry cake that I will share here is a simple one to prepare. This cake can be served for breakfast or with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. Every time when the blackberry season comes, I feel so blessed that I live in such a wonderful place.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup chia seeds gel (1 tsp chia seeds with 1/4 cup water added)
2 cups fresh blackberries
Strudel topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup ground oatmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9 in. cake pan.
Combine the strudel topping ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and sift the flour.

 

Place the butter, coconut oil, chia seeds gel, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat together until fluffy.

 Gradually beat in the eggs and nonfat yogurt.

Beat in the flour just until combined.

 Fold in half of the blackberries.

Smooth the surface and top with the other half of the blackberries.

 

Top the cake with strudel topping and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until risen, golden, and firm to the touch, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

 

Caramel Spice Cake

For me, this dessert is just a simple piece of cake that doesn't have to take all day to prepare. Making cake mix at home or buying a ready-made box of cake mix is the way to make a fast and delicious cake. My recipe for spice cake topped with caramel sauce is rich, but simple and exceptional to eat.

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 eggs
Caramel sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center. Add eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk. With a handheld mixer, beat with low speed until flour mixture is moistened. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour the batter in the prepared to Bundt cake pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes and pour the caramel sauce over the top.

To make a caramel sauce:
In a sauce pan over low heat, add butter, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, and milk until the sugar and the brown sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and stir in the confectioner’s sugar and whisk until the sauce becomes the consistency of your desire.

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp coffee extract
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk well. Set aside.
In a Kitchen Aid® mixing bowl, add brown sugar, sugar, butter and coconut oil. Cream this mixture until light and fluffy. Add eggs and continue to beat for 2 to 3 minute. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl. Add flour into the butter mixture. Turn the machine to low. Beat for a few minutes. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.  Use a small ice-cream scoop to drop the batter onto a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and let cool on the wire rack before storing in a cookie jar.

 

Crusty Oven-Baked Fish

This recipe uses corn flakes to make a simple, quick and healthy, crusty fish dinner.

Ingredients:
Two 6 oz tilapia fillets
2 cups corn flakes, finely crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp mustard
2 tbs nonfat yogurt
2 tbs olive oil
Oil to spray

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine crushed corn flakes, salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and oregano. Mix well. You might not need all of this mixture, so store in an airtight container for later use.
Combine the mustard, nonfat yogurt, and olive oil in a medium-size bowl and stir.
Using a pastry brush, dip into the mustard-yogurt mixture and brush all over the fish well on both sides. Coat the fish completely with the crushed corn flakes mixture. Spray the bottom of a baking dish with oil. Place fish onto the baking dish and spray fish with more oil. Bake fish in a preheated oven set to 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Serve fish with steamed vegetables on the side.

Little Rice Cakes (Banh Beo)

Little rice cakes or banh beo is a Vietnamese dish that comes from Hue in the central part of Vietnam. Each little cake is so delicate that it will melt in your mouth, and its delicious taste will leave you immediately craving another one.  This recipe can be served as vegetarian depending on the fillings of the cake. Sometime, fresh or dried shrimp can be used with the mung bean paste as part of the filling.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour minus 2 tbs rice flour
2 tbs tapioca
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold water
1 ½ cups hot water
Filling:
1/2 cup dried skinned mung beans, soaked overnight
3 tbs chopped leek
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Scallion oil:
2 green onions, sliced fine
1/4 cup oil
Serve with dipping sauce

Directions:
To make batter:
In a medium bowl, mix rice flour, tapioca flour and salt together. Pour the cold water into the bowl and start stirring until well combined. Slowly add hot water into the flour mixture and continue to stir until well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap for 10 hours or overnight. After 10 hours, the flour will sink into the bottom of the bowl. Pour off the water on top and replace that water with the same amount of warm water and mix well. The batter is ready to make the little rice cakes.
Place a large pot with water over high heat. Place the rice cake mold on top of the pot with the lid on and heat the mold until hot. Spray the mold with some oil and fill each mold with the batter. Cover with the lid and steam the cake for 10 minutes. Remove the steamed rice cakes and unmold them. Place them onto a serving plate. Continue the process until all the batter is finished.

To make the filling:
Steam the mung beans in the steamer over medium heat until soft. Place the cooked mung beans in a blender and blend until the beans become a fine paste.
Heat 1 tbs of oil in a sauté pan and add chopped leek and cook for 3 minutes. Add the bean paste, sugar, soy sauce, black pepper and water. Cook on low heat until all are well combined.

To make scallion oil:
Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a sauce pan. Add green onions and when the oil starts to boil, turn the heat off.

To serve:

Brush each rice cake with scallion oil and top each rice cake with the mung bean filling. Serve with the dipping sauce.

To make the dipping sauce:
1 cup boiling water
1/4 fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbs vinegar or lime juice
Add fresh chili, garlic

Stir-Fried Chicken and Sweet Bell Peppers

The colorful sweet bell peppers are not just beautiful to look at but also carry lots of nutrition, such as vitamins A & C and a ton of fiber. A study at the Mayo Clinic suggests that extra fiber will fight against colorectal cancer. The crunchiness of sweet bell peppers is good for snacking and stir-frying dishes with very low calories. I have this easy recipe just to prove it.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb chicken breasts, finely shredded
2 cups shredded tri-colored peppers – red, orange, and yellow
1/2 cup white onions
Oil for stir frying
Marinade:
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs cooking wine
1 tbs cornstarch
Sauce:
1 tbs miso paste
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Thickening:
2 tbs water
1 tsp cornstarch
Garnish: green onions and cilantro

Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the chicken breasts and 1 tbs of oil to this mixture and marinate for 30 minutes.
Prepare the sauce and the thickening agent in separate bowls and set aside.
Heat 1 tbs of oil. Briefly stir-fry bell peppers with a splash of water to make the peppers crispy. Remove from the wok onto a plate. Clean and dry wok. Then heat 1 tbs of oil and stir-fry white onions and chicken for a few minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add the sauce ingredients, stir, and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. Turn the heat to high again and pour the thickening agent into the wok and return the bell peppers with the chicken. Quickly stir and add green onions and chopped cilantro. Serve over hot, cooked rice.