I Am... Sushi Bake
Have you heard of sushi bake? It’s a super popular potluck dish inspired by sushi. It’s a deconstructed California roll, layered and baked in a casserole. Everything gets warm and creamy and you scoop it up into crispy sheets of roasted seaweed and top it off with cucumber and avocado. It’s SO good. If you love California rolls, you’ll love sushi bake. It’s savory, creamy, and super satisfying. Because it's so easy to make, it's perfect for potlucks, gatherings, and get togethers.
What is sushi bake?
Sushi bake came around as an alternative to sushi rolls: all the flavors of creative sushi rolls layered and baked into a warm and comforting delicious casserole, meant to be scooped into little sheets of roasted seaweed. Like most casseroles, it’s a home style dish meant to be shared with friends and family. It’s easier than rolling lots of rolls and the scooping and sharing makes it fun and interactive. It’s infinitely customizable meaning there’s a sushi bake out there for everyone!How to make sushi bake
- Make: Take the time to make sushi rice. You can just use plain cooked short grain rice, but taking the time to add vinegar, sugar, and salt to make sushi rice will take your sushi bake to a whole other level.
- Spread: Spread the sushi rice into a oven safe dish and sprinkle with some furikake.
- Mix: In a bowl, mix up some shredded chopped crab with cream cheese and Kewpie mayo and then spread it on top of the rice layer. Sprinkle on a bit more furikake.
- Bake: Pop the sushi bake into the oven and bake until it starts to brown and bubble and is heated through.
- Enjoy: Remove from the oven and if desired, drizzle with extra kewpie mayo and sriracha. Enjoy scooped on to roasted seaweed snacks with cucumber and avocado.
Ingredients
- Sushi rice - Koshihikari is the standard variety of rice used for sushi and is very easily found online and in grocery stores. It’s a short and stubby rice that is that is naturally sticky. It cooks up beautifully and is perfect for sushi bake.
- Crab or seafood - You can go with either imitation crab (which is not crab at all but pollock which is a fish), canned crab, or fresh crab. Since the crab is baked, I suggest just going with whatever is easiest. For me, that means either canned or imitation crab. If you’re not a fan of crab, you can definitely used any sort of seafood that you love - like salmon or tuna or prawns!
- Kewpie mayo and cream cheese - the cream cheese mixed up with the crab gets melty and creamy and is so decadent and addictive. Kewpie mayo adds a subtle rich and sweet mayo flavor that is tangy from the rice vinegar.
- Furikake - Furikake, if you haven’t heard of it, is rice seasoning. Think of it as a mix of seaweed and sesame seeds and other tasty bits that people sprinkle onto bowls of rice to dress them up a bit. It’s super addictive and tastes amazing on everything: rice, noodles, pasta, popcorn, eggs, you name it, furikake makes it better. You can find furikake at Asian grocery stores or online.
How to serve sushi bake
Sushi bakes are eaten kind of like a little taco with roasted seaweed snack being the tortilla and the sushi bake being the filling. Just scoop a bit of sushi bake onto a piece of roasted seaweed snack and pop it in your mouth for the perfect bite. Typically you just put a dish of warm sushi bake in the center of the table and everyone can scoop a bit onto their plate, wrap it in seaweed and eat it. You can also slice it into little pre-portioned slices that you can easily move onto roasted seaweed.What kind of seaweed do I need?
Seasoned roasted Korean laver seaweed snacks is the best seaweed to eat with sushi bake. You’ll see them in little foil packs sold in the snack section. They sell them at Asian grocery stores, Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, online, essentially everywhere! Roasted seaweed snacks look a little bit different than the typical seaweed used for sushi - slightly more translucent with a looser weave. You can also just use regular toasted seaweed cut into rectangular strips but I love the crispy crunch of roasted seaweed snacks.Sushi bake variations
Sushi bake variations are endless! Try these:- Miso salmon - instead of crab, use the equal amount of drained canned salmon. Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of miso.
- Tuna salad - instead of crab, use the equal amount of drained canned tuna. Mix in some sliced scallions.
- Spicy - mix in 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha into the crab mix and top with an extra drizzle of sriracha when eating.
- Cheesy - add an extra layer of shredded cheddar cheese on top before baking.
Spicy salmon roll sushi bake
To make a spicy salmon roll sushi bake, prepare the rice base as below. For the topping, combine 1 lb cooked and flaked salmon with 1 cup kewpie mayo, and 2 tbsp sriracha. Spread the spicy salmon mixture on top of the rice and top with the furikake and bake as directed below. Enjoy warm with seaweed!Crock pot sushi bake
A reader asked a really good question about making sushi bake in a Crock Pot so they could bring it to a party while keeping it warm. I hadn’t thought of it before, but the more I pondered, the more I thought about how it would absolute work to use the Crock Pot as a warmer. They key to making sushi bake in a Crock Pot is to use the Crock Pot as a warmer after you’ve already made and baked it. Here’s how you do it:- Make sushi rice by mixing cooked short grain rice with vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Spread the sushi rice into the bottom of the slow cooker insert and top generously with furikake.
- Mix up your toppings of choice with cream cheese and Kewpie mayo and spread it over the rice. Finish with a generous sprinkle of furikake.
- Bake the sushi rice in the crock pot insert in the oven at 350°F. This is a lower temperature than usual because the crock pot insert can’t be heated too high.
- When the top is brown and bubbly and everything is warmed through (about 20 minutes), transfer the crock pot insert to the crock pot and keep warm on low.
- Keep it on low until ready to serve, then top with extra mayo and sriracha, if desired. Serve warm with roasted seaweed snacks to scoop up!
What to serve with sushi bake
Truthfully sushi bake is a full meal within itself but if you’re looking for some extras, try these:- Tamagoyaki because who doesn’t love sweet and savory rolled eggs
- No Japanese inspired meal is complete without miso soup!
- A lil salad with incredibly addictive Japanese dressing would be a lovely side
- Spicy, creamy, addictive prawn tempura in chili mayo
- Super fluffy, jiggly Japanese cheesecake for dessert
Sushi Bake
A savory, creamy, and super satisfying deconstructed California roll, layered and baked in a casserole.
- 1 cup rice (Koshihikari or other short grain rice preferred)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 8 oz imitation crab (shredded and chopped)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese (room temp)
- 1/2 cup mayo (kewpie mayo preferred)
- 1/4 cup furikake
- 1/2 cucumber (sliced, to serve)
- 1 avocado (cubed, to serve)
- 3 packages roasted laver (aka Korean seaweed snacks, to serve)
Heat the oven to 425°F. Place the sushi rice in a colander, rinse throughly and let drain for 15 minutes. Cook rice according to the package instructions or your preference. While the rice is cooking, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small sauce pan and warm over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Alternatively, microwave briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the shredded crab with the cream cheese and mayo until smooth. Set aside.
When the rice is done, transfer to a very large bowl. Sprinkle on the vinegar mixture and use a rice paddle or spatula to mix the vinegar into the rice while using a slicing motion. Fan the rice while mixing to dry it out slightly.
Spread the sushi rice into an oven safe baking dish and top with 1/2 of the furikake.
Top with the cream cheese mayo crab mix. Sprinkle on the remaining furikake.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top just begins to brown and bubble and the casserole is warmed through.
Enjoy warm with roasted seaweed snack, sliced cucumbers, and sliced avocados.
To reheat: warm in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through or in the microwave for 30s - 1 min.
I Am... Japanese Cheesecake Recipe
Japanese cheesecake is probably my all-time favorite cake of any kind, cheese or not. Recently, I’ve been making Japanese cheesecake after cheesecake, not to perfect a recipe or anything, but because they’re just so fluffy and addictive. Can you ever have too much cheesecake?
What is Japanese Cheesecake?
Japanese cheesecake is a soufflé cheesecake that's quite different than the dense and thick New York style cheesecake we all know and love, but every bit as tasty. They are light and fluffy thanks to loads of whipped egg whites, are a little less sweet, and have a slightly tangy cream cheese flavor. They’re so fluffy that you can probably eat a whole cheesecake by yourself and not feel totally guilty about it. They're like the cheesecake version of Japanese soufflé pancakes. They look pretty darn cute and squishy and taste good too. This recipe bakes up beautifully, doesn't crack and the inside texture is bang on, almost exactly the same as the cheesecakes I get in Tokyo. The key is baking it at different temperatures. It starts off high so it can get a lot of heat to help it rise, then goes low and slow so everything bakes evenly.How to make Japanese Cheesecake
- Make the cream cheese batter: The cream cheese is melted over a double boiler so that it gets extra smooth and creamy. When it’s melty, mix in the butter, milk, egg yolks, and a bit of sugar.
- Sift in the flour and cornstarch: After everything is smooth you sift in the cake flour and cornstarch.
- Whip the egg whites: This is the part that is key. It’s not too difficult, especially if you’ve made meringue before. Just whip up your whites to about soft peaks.
- Mix: Gently fold together the whites and cream cheese batter, being careful not to deflate the whites too much.
- Bake in a water bath: Japanese cheesecake is a bit delicate so you’ll need to bake it in a water bath with a kitchen towel underneath so that it doesn't contact direct heat in any way.
- Cool: If you like, you can remove it from the pan once it’s cool enough to touch and do the jiggly shake that I’m sure you’ve seen on the internet. Otherwise, just let it cool very slowly then you’re ready to eat!
Japanese Cheesecake Ingredients
The ingredients for this Japanese cheesecake recipe are are similar to regular cheesecake, but with a few important changes:- cake flour: if you don't live in America, cake flour is low protein flour, usually about 8%-9% protein
- corn starch: not corn flour. corn starch is used to get the protein content down even further to make the cake as light and fluffy as possible
- cream of tartar: cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites, which are whipped into a meringue. Cream of tartar can be hard to find depending on where you live, so if you don't have it but you're pretty good at whipping egg whites to soft peaks, you could skip it. You can also order it online.
The importance of cooling your cheesecake
After the baking, the cheesecake will spend an enormously long time to cool off in the oven. I’m pretty sure this is not how they do it in Japan because they take them out of the oven when they’re still super hot and jiggly, but this works for me so I roll with it. The super slow cooling keeps your cheesecake looking non-wrinkly and crack-free, which was a problem I faced the first few times I made this. The only thing is, when you cool it in the oven, you don’t get to have fun jiggling it while it’s still hot. And really, the cheesecake is most jiggly when it’s warm. After it cools down, it deflates a bit and is more like a regular fluffy sponge cake texture rather than a jiggly puffball. If you don't care about aesthetics, or care more about jiggling, or just want to eat cheesecake ASAP, feel free to shorten the cooling time or even take it out right away.Soft peaks
Japanese cheesecake is made light and fluffy by whipping up egg whites. We’re aiming for a soft peak, which will help the cheesecake be fluffy and jiggly. You want your egg whites to look like almost fully whipped egg whites, but when you pull your whisk up from the whites, the whites will gently fold over like the tip of a nice swirl of soft ice cream, instead of standing straight up.Kitchen scale
The measurements in this recipe are by weight because Japanese cheesecake can be a little finicky when baking by volume. If you don't yet have a kitchen scale, you should totally get one because they are cheap and will change your baking life forever. You'll wonder why it took you so long to start baking by weight before, it's so much easier! This is a recipe that takes time and care but it’s totally worth it! Wishing you a fluffy Japanese cheesecake :)The Best Japanese Cheesecake Recipe
Just the right sweetness and perfectly fluffy and jiggly with a hint of tart cream cheese.
- kitchen scale
Cream Cheese Batter
- 250 grams room temperature cream cheese
- 60 grams unsalted butter
- 100 ml whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 70 grams sugar
- 60 grams cake flour
- 20 grams cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Meringue
- 6 large egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 70 grams sugar
Preheat your oven to 390°F and lightly grease a 8” x 3” round cake pan with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Pour boiling water into a large bowl or pan, then sit a smaller mixing bowl inside. Add the cream cheese to the smaller bowl and let soften while you separate your eggs. When the cream cheese is soft, whisk until smooth and creamy, then stir in butter and milk until smooth and incorporated. Whisk in the yolks until smooth, then whisk in the sugar. Remove the bowl from the hot water bath and sift in the cake flour and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth.
Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy and pale, adding sugar bit at a time until the whites are whipped into a glossy thick meringue that holds a soft peak. Be careful not to over whip.
Take 1/3 of the whipped egg whites and whisk it into the bowl with the yolks until completely incorporated. Add half of the remaining whites and whisk into the yolk batter, being careful not to deflate.
Transfer the egg yolk mixture to the remaining egg whites, whisk and then use a spatula to fold together. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan – it should come up almost to the top of the pan, about 1/4 inch from the top. Tap the pan against the counter to release any air bubbles.
Place a kitchen towel into a large deep baking dish and place the cake pan on top (this ensures that the cheesecake doesn’t have any contact with direct heat), then put everything into the preheated oven and carefully pour hot water about 1 inch high.
Bake at 390°F for 18 minutes, then drop the heat to 285°F and bake for another 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes is up, turn off the oven and leave the cake inside without opening the door for another 30 minutes. Finally, open the oven door and remove the water bath. Place the cake back into the oven and leave the door slightly open to let cool gently for another 30 minutes. The idea is to let the cake cool very gradually so it doesn’t crack.
The cake will have naturally shrunk from the sides and should be cool enough to touch. Use a cutting board (or your hands) to invert and remove from the pan. Flip back right side up and place on your serving dish. It should be soft, fluffy, and jiggly while it’s still warm.
adapted from craftpassion.com
I Am... How to make the best charcuterie board
I love date-nights in. So cozy and romantic. You get to pick the music, or maybe a movie, light some candles and just chill with your boo. My favorite way to do an easy night in is a charcuterie board. Mike and I first discovered our love for charcuterie together. Way back in the day, years and years ago, a hot new restaurant opened in a literal alley in a very sketchy part of town. It was hipster before being hipster was a thing. They offered flights of meat and cheese for an insane amount of money (to us, back then) and we fell in love.
Charcuterie at home
After our fourth visit there in 2 weeks, we wised up to the fact that we were spending an absurd amount of money on something that we could easily do at home. After all, the restaurant literally told us where they sourced their charcuterie from. This was way before made-in-house was a thing. So, we went right to the source, bought a bunch of our favorites, which we handily already knew, and went to town. Ever since, we’ve always made charcuterie and cheese boards at home. The best part is coming up with fun little accompaniments, because stuff that makes everything prettier makes things tastier too, right? Our boards are heavy on the pate because to me, that's the best part.Where to get charcuterie ingredients
Ideally you have a nice little European inspired artisanal meat and cheese provider in your city. Failing that though, you can get a decent selection of salamis, cured meats, cheeses, and pates from the deli section of most major grocery stores, especially Whole Foods and similar higher end stores.How to make a charcuterie board
First off, don’t feel like you have to go crazy. I love a simple charcuterie board. You can do just one meat and one cheese and have some mustard and good bread and call it a day. Or you could also go crazy and make a huge impressive platter! You do you. You are after all, the star of your meat and cheese bar.- Grab your board. Just in case you’re wondering, do you need a fancy marble and wood charcuterie board? The answer is nope, you can use any old cutting board or plate you have at home! In these photos we used a baking sheet.
- Little bowls. Put down a couple of small bowls for things like olives, rillettes, mustards, jams, dips, nuts, anything that you don’t want spreading all over the board. The bowls add height to your board and also give you more space because you can lean/stack things against them. How many bowls depends on the size of your board or plate.
- Meats and cheeses. After the bowls are on the platter, add the sliced meats, either in neat rows or in a organic pile. Add the cheese. While the exact combination is up to you, a little further below we have suggested amounts, varieties, and mixes.
- Breads and crackers. Stack or lay out the carbs in little piles, keeping the crackers with the crackers and the breads with the breads.
- Spreads. We like to use a couple of different mustards (usually 1 English and 1 stone ground French) as well as whatever jelly we have sitting around.
- Fruit and garnish. Add some seasonal fruit and herbs for color and freshness! In the photos we use a little trick we learned from Cassia in Santa Monica: pairing charcuterie with Vietnamese herbs. It's genius!
How much charcuterie per person?
It’s nice to get a mix of meats and cheeses but the ratio is up to you! We base everything on a minimum order of 2oz.- For an appetizer, get 2 different meats/cheeses per person (4oz total per person)
- As a main, get 4 different meats/cheeses per person (8oz total per person).
What to put on a charcuterie board?
If you want to go all out and make the perfect charcuterie board, this is our formula:- Something machine-sliced: These are your cured meats like prosciutto, sliced thin for a salty, savory hit. Since you probably don't have a meat slicer, if they don't already come sliced, get these from the deli and ask them to slice them as thin as they recommend (different meats require different thicknesses).
- Something hand-sliced: These are the cured meats that you want with a little bit of a heartier/heftier bite, sausages and the like that you can slice yourself at home.
- Something spreadable: These are the squishy spreadable things that add a bit of fat and are smooth and rich on the tongue. We like to go for a couple pâtés or terrines, and always add a small scoop of rillettes too.
- Cheese. Not all charcuterie boards include cheese, but the best ones do, in my opinion! You can just add one as an accent or do a combination that highlight contrasting flavors and textures. We like to go about 70/30 meats vs cheese, usually one brie and one harder cheese like gouda (more on this below).
- Carbs. Carbs are the base upon which your (probably pretty expensive) meats and cheeses are enjoyed. Crusty bread, untoasted and toasted, crisp rye crackers, homemade sourdough crackers, water crackers - the list goes on. While the point of the carbs on a charcuterie board is a blank canvas for the flavors of the meats and cheeses, a really good selection of crusty toasted baguettes and crispy crunchy crackers can turn an ordinary grocery store meat and cheese board into something extraordinary.
- Bright Notes. These are your fruits, olives, mustards, pickles, herbs, and jellies. They shouldn't be an afterthought, actually, they should be the star of the show! These guys are what people really find themselves enjoying after the first couple of bites, because they offset the richness of the meats and cheeses with complex flavors and mix-and-match combinations. We like to go crazy with different mustards and always include some nice cornichons and olives.
Best cured meats
These are our favorites:- Soppressata: a dry Italian salami made from pork that comes in different flavors like black pepper or spicy. Salty, rich, and flavorful. You can get this sliced thin at the deli or cut slightly thicker slices at home.
- Saucisson sec: a thick dry cured French sausage usually made from pork, saucisson sec is similar to salami or summer sausage. It’s meaty, mild, and comes in a variety of flavors like red wine or garlic. You can get this sliced thin at the deli or cut slightly thicker slices at home.
- Calabrese: a spicy cured pork sausage from Calabria, Italy. Bright red, rich, and robust. You can get this sliced thin at the deli or cut slightly thicker slices at home.
- Mortadella: a large Italian pork sausage studded with small cubes of pork fat, whole black pepper, and optionally pistachios or olives. Mortadella is soft and smooth and silky. It might remind you of baloney, but it’s nothing like baloney. Get this sliced thin.
- Prosciutto: By now everyone and their grandma knows prosciutto and it’s no wonder why, it’s salty, rich, and just melts in your mouth. What’s not to love about thinly sliced cured ham?! Get this sliced thin at the deli.
- Jamon (Serrano and Iberico): The Spanish version of dry cured ham. Sweet, nutty, and earthy, this delicate ham is cured longer than prosciutto and has a deeper, stronger flavor. Serrano is the more common jamon and Iberico is the more specialty, made from black Iberian pigs. Get this sliced thin at the deli.
- Bresaloa: Air dry salted lean beef that’s been aged, made famous in the Lombardy region of Italy. It’s kind of like a beefy version of prosciutto, but less fatty and milder in flavor. Get it sliced thin at the deli.
- Finocchiona: a Tuscan salami on the sweeter side flecked with fennel seeds. This is one of my favorites!
Best pâtés, terrines, and rillettes
Head to a charcutier (a place where they make in house charcuterie) for a selection of spreadables to up your charcuterie game. Spreadable things are incredibly addictive, especially on crackers and bread.- Pâté: The most decadent and delicious of the pâté is foie gras but a more accessible pâté is probably chicken liver pâté or chicken liver mousse. It’s light, rich, and silky smooth. We also like a simple peppercorn pâté or a rustic country style pâté de campagne.
- Terrine: Terrine mostly refers to the loaf-shaped pan that they’re cooked in. Sometimes they’re layered or baked in puff pastry. We love duck and pistachio terrine for its simple heartiness and amazing time tested flavors.
- Rillettes: Rillettes are meat or fish that’s been chopped or shredded and confit/cooked own fat to make a thick spread. If you’ve had potted whitefish dip or potted salmon, it was probably a rillette. Rillettes are heartier than pâté and incredibly satisfying. Our favorite is pork rillettes.
Best cheeses
The best cheese is a cheese you like! That being said, if you want to expand your cheese horizons, these are some of our favorites that aren’t the usual cheddar, brie, and mozzarella. Epoisses de Bourgongne or Saint-Andre: These two are creamy, soft cheeses perfect for spreading. The Epoisses has a pretty pungent smell, but when you taste it, it’s creamy, salty, and sweet. At room temp it’s absolutely luscious. If you’re against stinky cheeses, you should go for the Saint Andre, a triple cream which is dense, buttery, and rich. It’s like brie, but better! Kaasaggio Robusto Gouda: It’s our new favorite cheese obsession. Flavor wise, it’s a blend of parmesan and gouda, with the salty nuttiness of Parmesan and the sweet butterscotch-y flavors of an aged gouda. It has a an intense amount of those addictive little crunchy crystals that are only found in really good aged cheese. Castello Double Creme Blue: I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese, but I have a deep respect for their sharp, deep flavors. I’m slowly liking blue cheese more and more and if you want a gateway blue cheese, this is the one to try. Castello is a Danish cheese, tender and mild compared to other blues while still having a delicate bitterness with a creamy finish. Kind of addictive to be honest! Saint Paulin: This is one of those cheeses that everyone will love. It’s a semi-firm pressed cheese that has a pleasing edible yellow-orange rind and a velvety buttery smooth interior. It’s very similar to a harvarti – super subtle with a hint of sweetness and the taste of fresh milk.Bread and crackers
We like having a variety of breads and crunchy things too.- I’m really into these rye crisps
- and these crispy crackers
- Mike loves toasted baguettes that we get sliced at our local bakery, then put on a baking sheet at home and toast all at once at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
- Of course if you want to go all out, homemade sourdough crackers are the way to go!
What are the best garnishes for a charcuterie board?
- Spreads: jams and honey add a touch of sweetness. They’re perfect with cheese!
- Nuts: walnuts, macadamias, marcona almonds, pecans, pistachios, all the nuts!
- Seeds: this sounds funny, but seeds go exceptionally well sprinkled onto cheese, especially soft ones like goat cheese. Have little dishes of poppy seeds, toasted sesame seeds, toasted sunflower seeds, pepitas
- Olives: Pick your favorite olives! We like picholine (small green French olives), Nicoise (small black French olives), and Manzanilla (firm smoky green Spanish olives).
- Fruit: Any seasonal fruit will do, in the summer berries and stone fruits are nice and in the fall and winter things like pears and apples.
- Mustards: whole grain, dijon, spicy brown, honey mustard, English; mustards add heat and acidity.
- Pickles: cornichon (those cute little French pickles), picked onions or shallots, pickled vegetable such as beets, peppers, radishes, beans, etc.
What is charcuterie, anyway?
Charcuterie is the french term for prepared meat products like hams, sausages, terrines, and pâtés. While traditionally that was more or less it, these days a charcuterie board implies a big spread of cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, spreads, crackers, and breads. Part of the fun of charcuterie is that everything is prepared and all you have to do is pick out your favorites and make everything look pretty. It’s easy and delicious and can feel fancy or casual, but always luxurious. You can go from grocery store pâtés to local artisanal cheeses and everything in between.Why are charcuterie boards so popular?
I think it’s because people like choice and abundance. Place a charcuterie board down in front of people and they get to pick and choose what they like, making flavor combinations appeal to them – kind of like a food version of choose-your-own-adventure. With one or two items, it’s a low key appetizer or light meal, perfect for pairing with drinks. If you go all out, it’s also super easy for fancy entertaining or for a casual date night in. We've used charcuterie boards as easy-yet-fancy appetizers for dinner parties that can be quickly thrown together more times than I can remember. You don’t have to go fancy though. Sometimes the best thing to do is to stick to one kind of meat, a really good mustard, and some olives. Keep it simple, keep it crazy, keep it you. It's delicious no matter how you slice it (pun intended).How do you say charcuterie?
It’s shar-CUTE-er-ee! Go forth and meat and cheese with abandon! xoxo stephThe Ultimate Charcuterie Board
Our ultimate version of a classic charcuterie board.
- 2 oz prosciutto (thinly sliced at the deli)
- 2 oz soppressata (thinly sliced at the deli)
- 2 oz finocchiona (thinly sliced at the deli)
- 2 oz duck with truffles pâté
- 2 oz pork rillettes
- 2 oz double creme brie (or bleu)
- 2 oz Kaasaggio Robusto Gouda
- 2 oz boursin (high-low baby)
- 1 baguette (1/3" sliced at the bakery)
- 1/2 package crackers (see blog for recommendations)
- 1/4 cup stone ground mustard
- 1/4 cup English mustard
- 1/2 cup olives (see blog for recommendations)
- 1/4 cup cornichons
- 1 fruit (thinly sliced, seasonal)
Toast your baguettes in a 350ºF oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, slice your cheeses and salamis, if needed
Arrange your mustards, olives, cornichons, and other spreads in small dishes.
Smear your pâté, rillettes, and soft cheeses along the edges of deep plates.
Remove baguette from oven and arrange in a large bowl or two. In a separate bowl, snap into small pieces (if homemade) and arrange your crackers.
Serve immediately with tongs, forks, or other serving utensils.
As a main, either double the volume or variety of the proteins.
The meats and cheeses are just a base, you should add jams, jellies, herbs, and other fruits or veggies according to your taste.
Estimated nutrition is a good representation but will be highly variable based on your selections.
I Am... Air Fryer Eggs
I’m forever looking for ways to improve my egg game and I think these air fryer eggs just did it. I love eggs. Fried, boiled, jammy, sous voided, scrambled, give me all the eggs, all the time. I recently came across an amazing way to make boiled eggs, no water required. Inspired by people who hard boil bake their eggs, I thought to myself, why not air fry? I haven’t tried hard boiling eggs in the oven, but an air fryer is like a mini oven and you don’t need to preheat it so I figured it was a win. My life is changed. No more waiting for water to boil and the eggs crack perfectly every time. No water, just eggs and an air fryer. We use our air fryer for so many things: fried chicken, tacos, steak, bacon, I guess it was just a matter of time until we used it for eggs too. It couldn’t be simpler, just put your eggs straight from the fridge into the air fryer basket, set it, then forget it. When the air fryer timer goes off, plunge the eggs into an ice bath or cold water, peel and you’re in egg heaven. I’ve done them at all different times and I love them most at medium, which is what I like to use in egg salad and as a snack.
How to make air fryer eggs
- Place cold eggs into the air fryer basket.
- Cook them for 9-15 minutes depending on your yolk preference at 250°F.
- Plunge immediately into cold water or an ice bath.
- Peel and enjoy.
How many eggs can I make in an air fryer?
As many as you want! You can make one, or up to 6. Just give the eggs a little bit of room between them so they have enough heat circulation so they’re evenly cooked.How do you like your eggs?
I like them all! Every doneness has a purpose. I love a softie egg with toast, jammy eggs to eat on their own, and hard boiled for making deviled eggs.How long to air fry eggs
- Soft boiled: For just set whites and a very runny yolk you need 9 minutes at 270°F.
- Medium boiled: For medium boiled eggs medium firm whites and a jammy yolk you need 10 minutes at 270°F.
- Hard boiled: For hard boiled eggs with firm whites and a fully set not chalky yolk you need 13 minutes at 270°F.
Tips
- Make sure you use eggs straight from the fridge so they cook evenly.
- Plunge the eggs in an ice bath to stop them from cooking.
- Crack them on the fat end then roll them around and peel.
Every air fryer is different
Be sure to experiment with cook times because each air fryer is a different size with a different wattage and even how many eggs you place in the basket will affect the cook time. Give one or two eggs a try at first, hone in the timing, then go to town and meal prep ALL THE EGGS.Don't have an air fryer but have an instant pot?
Try this recipe!How to eat boiled eggs
Boiled eggs are the perfect snack. Full of protein, filling, flavorful, quick and easy. I like them with:- salt and freshly ground pepper
- topped with freshly chopped herbs
- drizzled with chili oil
- topped with everything bagel spice
- topped with pesto
- sprinkled with bacon bits
- sprinkled with furikake
Recipes that use boiled eggs
- ultra creamy deviled eggs
- egg and yogurt breakfast bowl
- oven roasted steak with chimichurri eggs
- ramen eggs
- egg salad sandwiches or this style too
Air fryer eggs
Perfect eggs every time in the air fryer, faster than boiling because you don't need to wait for the water.
- air fryer
- eggs (as many as needed)
Place the eggs, straight from the fridge into the air fryer basket, leaving space between the eggs. Air fry at 270°F for 9-13 minutes depending on how you want your yolks done.
Soft - 9 minutes
Jammy - 10 minutes
Medium - 11 minutes
Hard - 13 minutes
When the time is up, plunge into cold water or an ice bath to stop the cooking, then when cool enough to handle, peel and enjoy.
Estimated nutrition based on 1 large egg.
I Am... Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Instant Pot butter chicken is savory and saucy and perfect with rice and naan for soaking up that delicious tomato-y buttery sauce. Butter chicken is one of those dishes that holds a special spot in my heart. It was one of Mike and I’s go-to dishes to make and eat when we first moved in together. I wasn’t much of a cook back then but we both had a love of Indian food and when we wanted to stay in and play house, we would buy jarred butter chicken sauce and heat up some chicken and naan and have a cute night in of “cooking” even though it was more like heating up. I’m much more adept at cooking now and Indian food is still one of those things we love to make and eat. Sometimes I’ll go all out and make a 24 hour dal and homemade naan but sometimes we’ll want something quick, easy, and flavorful without much fuss. For those days, it’s always Instant Pot butter chicken.
How to make Instant Pot butter chicken
- Add. To the insert of the Instant Pot, add a can of diced tomatoes along with the garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir everything together, then nestle in the chicken pieces, whole.
- Pressure cook. Pop the lid on and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to take the chicken out and set it aside on a plate.
- Blend. Use an immersion blender and blend the sauce until smooth. Or, carefully transfer to a blender and blend. When the sauce is smooth, let it cool slightly, 3-5 minutes.
- Stir. Stir in the butter, cream, then an extra bit of garam masala. The sauce should be lovely and thick, able to coat the back of a spoon.
- Simmer. Chop up the chicken into bite size pieces and add it back to the sauce in the Instant Pot. Set the pot to sauté on low and heat the chicken through and let the sauce bubble.
- Serve. Enjoy with freshly chopped cilantro!
Ingredients
- Diced tomatoes. Tomatoes are the base of butter chicken. Please use diced tomatoes and not tomato paste or sauce - diced tomatoes tend to have a lot more liquid in them which is key for the Instant Pot. You’ll want to add in the ENTIRE can of diced tomatoes, juice and all.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic adds so much flavor. Use a garlic press for extra ease.
- Ginger. Fresh ginger adds heat and a bit of warming spice.
- Spices. Turmeric, cayenne pepper, ground paprika, cumin. These are spices that you’ll probably have hanging out in the pantry. Make sure they’re fresh!
- Garam masala. This is a mix of spices that varies greatly from spice mix to spice mix but usually contains: fennel, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and red chili powder. You can make your own, but you can also buy a mix at the store.
- Chicken. Chicken thighs are best because they cook up juicy and tender.
- Butter. It wouldn’t be butter chicken without butter. Go for unsalted so you can control the saltiness of your butter chicken.
- Heavy cream. Full fat whipping cream adds luxurious creaminess and mixes with the redness of the tomatoes to butter chicken its iconic golden color.
What is butter chicken?
Butter chicken, known as murgh makhani, is a chicken curry made with tomatoes, spices, butter, and cream. It’s mild and creamy and so incredibly delicious. It’s a fairly new curry, developed by a restaurant group called Moti Mahal in India.Is this authentic butter chicken?
Yup, I would say so! This recipe is based off of Urvashi Pitre’s butter chicken and she has had a whole lifetime of making and eating it. Butter chicken is an Indian dish, very popular in North India and also widely eaten in South India.Urvashi Pitre’s Instant Pot butter chicken is perfection:
- it’s quick and easy, you basically put everything in the Instant Pot and turn it on
- it’s full of SO much flavor, creamy, just a touch of heat, and so delicious
- it’s authentic because Urvashi Pitre is essentially known as “the butter chicken lady”
Why does butter chicken taste so good?
Curry chicken is the ultimate comfort food and butter chicken is the most comforting curry because it’s warm and cozy, full of savory flavors that aren’t too spicy. The cream and tomatoes play off each other perfectly. The tomatoes add umami and acidity and the cream counters the acidity and adds a lovely texture and the added bonus of tempering the the heat of the spices.What is the difference between butter chicken and chicken tikka masala?
Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are very similar with distinctly different flavors. Butter chicken is creamier and not as spicy. Chicken tikka masala is more tomato-y and doesn’t have as much dairy. They’re both delicious!Tips and tricks
- There no need to add extra water. Lots of water will cook out from the chicken so you don’t need to add extra water to the pot. If you do, your sauce will be thin.
- Let the sauce cool slightly before adding the butter and cream
- Finish with garam masala. Adding garam masala at the end makes all the difference. The garam masala added at the end adds a fresh burst of spice.
- If you’re getting a “burn warning” it’s probably because your diced tomatoes don’t have enough liquid. In this case, adding 1/4 cup chicken stock will help, but making sure you use a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, including all the liquid in the can, is best!
What to serve with butter chicken
Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Instant Pot butter chicken is savory and saucy and perfect with rice and naan.
- instant pot
- 14 oz diced tomatoes (1 can, undrained)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb chicken breast (boneless skinless, or thighs)
- 1/2 cup butter (cubed)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, cumin, and salt in the Instant Pot. Stir throughly and nestle the chicken in.
Put the lid on and set the pressure to high for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then depressurize.
Carefully open the lid and remove the chicken. Use an immersion blender and blend the sauce until smooth. Alternately, carefully transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Let cool slightly for 3-5 minutes then stir in the butter, cream, the last teaspoon of garam masala. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Roughly chop the chicken then add back into the sauce. Set the Instant Pot to sauté on low, letting the chicken heat through. Top with the cilantro and enjoy with basmati and naan!
via The New Yorker
I Am... Mini Beef Wellington
These little mini beef wellington guys are just like the real deal, but mini. 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.
Read More →
I Am... How to make Ebi Fry
Ebi fry (ebi furai in Japanese) aka panko shrimp is a beloved dish in Japan and in my opinion, is the cutest shrimp dish of them all. Ebi fry is often served in bento or with teishoku meal sets. It’s a favorite of children and adults alike. So much so that there is a character much like Hello Kitty but a deep fried shrimp called Ebi Fry no Shippo. Panko shrimp is delicious and cute! That extra crispy crunchy crust coating plump and juicy shrimp is sure to bring a smile to your face. Ebi fry might be my ultimate fried shrimp. I love the delicate flavor and texture of shrimp tempura but there’s something about that thick and crunchy bread coat that really does it for me. I guess I’m just the kind of person who loves deep fried foods like chicken strips and fries. Whenever I see ebi shrimp on the menu, I have to get it. It’s the perfect textural counter point to fluffy white rice and it’s AMAZING with Japanese curry rice. I love eating it on its own too, with kewpie mayo, Japanese tartar sauce or even Japanese egg salad.
What is Ebi Fry/Panko shrimp
Ebi fry (エビフライ) aka panko shrimp is shrimp that has been coated in flour, egg, then panko, and then deep fried. It’s a crispy breaded shrimp that is a super popular main dish served with rice or bento component. It’s similar to katsu, but shrimp.How to make ebi fry
- Clean. Peel the shells off the shrimp, devein, and clean the tails. More on that below.
- Straighten. Gently cut about a quarter of the way through the belly of the shrimp and push down to flatten it out so it fries up nice and straight.
- Bread. Dip the shrimp into flour, egg, panko, then again into the flour, egg, and panko so you get a double coating.
- Deep fry. Add the coated shrimp to hot oil and cook, flipping as needed until crispy and golden brown.
- Enjoy. Enjoy as is, dipped in sauce, or as part of a rice plate or bento!
How to clean shrimp
- Peel the shell off, leaving the tail attached.
- Devein the shrimp by carefully slicing through with a small sharp knife to the vein and removing.
- Cut the tail of the shrimp on a diagonal.
- Squish out any water left in the tail with the edge of the knife.
How to straighten shrimp
On the bottom side of the shrimp (it’s belly) lightly score three to four times, at even intervals. Turn the shrimp so it’s belly down and press the shrimp onto your cutting board, flattening it out into a long, straight line.Panko shrimp ingredients
- shrimp - I like to use large shrimp, at lease 16-20 size. The larger size shrimp stay juicer and are more impressive when you serve them.
- flour - a little bit of flour helps the egg stick to the shrimp so you can get a nice even coat.
- egg - it’s what allows the panko to stick to the shrimp and gives you an extra crispy coat.
- panko - Japanese breadcrumbs that deep fry up to a delicious crispy coat. More on them below.
- oil - choose a neutral high heat oil like rice bran, canola, or grapeseed.
What is panko?
Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs. They’re vastly different from regular breadcrumbs – fluffier, larger, and made from crustless white bread. The irregular flakes of panko are what make katsu so crunchy. They’re dryer, flakier, and absorb less oil. Panko is actually super interesting and a big deal in Japan. Dedicated panko factories bake bread to different panko specifications. You can get fresh panko, dried panko, and different sized flakes. They even have different ways of baking the bread, either oven baked or electrically baked using currents. A lot of restaurants get fresh panko delivered to them daily.Where to buy panko
Panko is sold in most grocery stores in the Asian aisle but it’s cheaper to buy it at an Asian grocery store. You can also get it online. I prefer Japanese brands of panko, sometimes you’ll see something labeled panko but it looks like regular breadcrumbs. Take a look at the package and buy panko with large, irregular, shards that are flat. You can even make your own!How to set up a panko breading station:
Just like how you bread chicken you need flour, egg, and panko.- Set up three shallow dishes that are able to fit the shrimp.
- Put flour in one dish, lightly beaten egg in the next dish, and panko in the last dish.
- Dip the shrimp in the flour, coating all sides. Shake off the excess flour and place it in the egg.
- Use your other hand to turn the shrimp in the egg, making sure it’s coated all over.
- Shake off any excess egg and place the shrimp in the panko. Repeat the steps to double coat the shrimp, being sure to gently adhere the panko all over. Shake off the excess panko and you’re ready to cook!
How to deep fry panko shrimp
Heat up at least 2 inches of high heat oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat until it reaches 350°F or a pair of unchoated wooden chopsticks bubbles gently when you put them in the hot oil. Carefully add the panko shrimp to the hot oil and cook, flipping occasionally until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on a wire rack.How to air fry panko shrimp
Before coating the shrimp in the panko, be sure to toast it to give it some color. Add the panko to a dry pan and toast over medium heat, stirring often. Drizzle on 1 tbsp neutral oil and stir until golden and toasty then remove from the pan immediately. Coat the shrimp as per below then air fry in an oiled air fryer basket at 360°F until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping half way.How to bake panko shrimp
Before coating the shrimp in the panko, be sure to toast it to give it some color. Add the panko to a dry pan and toast over medium heat, stirring often. Drizzle on 1 tbsp neutral oil and stir until golden and toasty then remove from the pan immediately. Coat the shrimp as per below then bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a 425°F oven for 12 minutes.Japanese tartar sauce
Japanese tartar sauce is a little different from the regular tartar sauce you’ve had because it has eggs in it! It has all the same tartar sauce ingredients you love like mayonnaise, pickles, and herbs, but it is extra rich because of the diced egg. To make Japanese tartar sauce, mix together 1/4 cup kewpie mayo, 2 finely diced hard boiled eggs, 2 tbsp finely diced pickle, 2 tbsp finely diced onion, finely chopped parsley, and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Taste and season with salt and pepper.How to make an ebi fry bento
Ebi fry teishoku or set meals are a super popular choice in Japan. You usually get 2 to giant plump shrimp, tartar sauce, rice, soup, salad, pickles, and some small side dishes. Think of it like a panko shrimp bento. They make me SO happy. I just love the crunchy of the shrimp and the creaminess of the tartare sauce and the rice and cabbage go so well with everything. Seriously so good. Do yourself a favor and make a panko shrimp bento! You’ll need:- rice: a bowl of fluffy Japanese rice is the perfect accompaniment for crunchy, juicy shrimp.
- cabbage: thinly sliced cabbage is a must for panko fried things like panko shrimp, chicken katsu, or tonkatsu.
- cucumbers: some slices of cucumber to add some crunch and greenness.
- tomatoes: just a couple of cherry tomatoes for cuteness and a bit of sweet freshness.
- tartar sauce: see above for a Japanese take on tartar sauce. Sometimes I like to serve panko shrimp with Japanese egg salad as a condiment too.
- optional: Japanese pickles or small side dishes like miso soup, tamagoyaki, a couple of gyoza, or edamame.
Panko Shrimp
This extra crispy plump and juicy shrimp is sure to bring a smile to your face.
- 12 prawns (extra large preferred, see notes)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 2 cups panko
- 3 cups neutral oil (high heat for deep frying, see notes)
To Serve
- 1 cabbage (shredded)
- 1 cucumber (sliced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cup tartar sauce (Japanese preferred, see notes)
Peel the shell off the prawns, leaving the tail on. Devein and make three shallow cuts on the bottom of the prawn to straighten it out. Pat dry with paper towels then season generously with salt and pepper.
Dredge the prawns in flour, then egg, then back into flour, egg, and finally panko, pressing to adhere. Repeat the breading process so the shrimp are double coated.
Heat the oil to 350°F and when hot, add the prawns, 2-3 at a time and deep fry, 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping as needed. Drain on a wire rack.
Enjoy with cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, and Japanese tartar sauce.
Buy the largest prawns you can find, look for a number like "16-20" or lower on the package.
High heat oils include refined peanut oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, and sunflower/safflower oils.
To make Japanese tartar sauce: combine 1/4 cup kewpie mayo, 2 finely diced hard boiled eggs, 2 tbsp finely diced pickle, 2 tbsp finely diced onion, finely chopped parsley, and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
I Am... Hot Cross Buns
Making homemade hot cross buns is an accomplishment, one that you can do, easier than you think! These deliciously cinnamon spiced yeasted buns are buttery and plush, full of dried cherries and melty white chocolate. The perfect twist on an Easter treat.
Quick and Easy
Hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one a penny two a penny hot cross buns! I’m sure you know the song - it always always gets stuck in my head around Easter. There’s a local bakery chain in town that specializes in hot cross buns and back in the day when samples were a thing, I would always choose the hot cross bun sample when we were buying bread. Their buns are so popular that they sell them year round and I love them so much. Of course it’s super simple to head to the bakery to buy hot cross buns (or even order them online) but this year I thought I’d bake my own, based off of my favorite soft and fluffy dinner roll recipe. There’s something so satisfying about the smell of bread filling up the kitchen. The sweet sent of yeasted dough and cinnamon makes me feel super homey.What are hot cross buns?
Hot cross buns are an Easter classic. Little yeasted sweet buns with crosses on top date back to the 12th century and they were considered a treat marking the end of Lent, eaten on Good Friday. Nowadays, they are available year round, but are especially enjoyed around Easter.How to make hot cross buns
If you’ve made dinner rolls, you’re just one step away from making hot cross buns. Here’s how you do it:- Sprinkle yeast on to warm water and let foam.
- Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
- Stir the yeast, along with egg, into the flour mix until everything comes together into a ball of dough.
- Add the butter to the dough and knead the dough until smooth.
- Add the dried cherries and chocolate then pop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl so it can proof for an hour.
- After the dough is puffy and proofed, tip it out onto a floured surface and divide into 9 balls, place in a pan, and let proof until doubled.
- Bake until golden then pipe on some chocolate crosses. Enjoy!
Hot cross buns ingredients
These buns have pretty standard pantry ingredients: yeast, bread flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, egg, butter, dried cherries, and white chocolate chips.Bread flour
Bread flour is the key to fluffy, soft, and chewy buns. You might be tempted to just use all purpose, and well, you can do that, but if you use bread flour your rolls will be soft and fluffy with just the right amount of chew. Bread flour has a higher protein content than regular all purpose – the resulting dough has more gluten in it which helps the rolls stay soft and chewy.Yeast
This recipe uses active dry yeast which needs to be dissolved in a bit of liquid before using – in this case we’ll sprinkle it on to some warm water. If you have instant yeast, you can use it too, there won’t be much of a difference; your rolls might rise a bit faster, depending how warm your kitchen is.Dried cherries and white chocolate
Dried cherries add some sweet tartness that pairs exceptionally well with white chocolate and cinnamon. You can sub in your favorite dried fruits, more ideas below!How do hot cross buns taste?
Classically, hot cross buns are a soft, sweet, spiced yeasted bun usually made with dried fruit like raisins, sultanas, or currents. They’re soft, squishy, and not too sweet. Think of a slightly sweeter dinner roll studded with dried fruit. This particular bun is super soft and fluffy, scented with cinnamon and dotted with melty white chocolate and sweet dried cherries. The plush cinnamon buns remind me of cinnamon rolls, but not as sweet. They’re glazed with a bit of apricot jam for shine and finished with a melted white chocolate cross. If you like sweet dried cherries, caramelized white chocolate, soft and fluffy buttery buns, and cinnamon, you’ll love these hot cross buns!Variations
You can easily customize these buns with your favorite add-ins.- Classic: sultanas, raisins or currents
- Orange cranberry: dried cranberries and orange zest
- Blueberry dark chocolate: dried blueberries and dark chocolate
- Triple chocolate: a mix of white, dark, and milk chocolate
- Apple cinnamon: dried apples and extra cinnamon
- Strawberry matcha: dried strawberries, switch out the cinnamon for matcha
If you love soft and fluffy bread, try these recipes:
- the fluffiest cinnamon rolls, full of sweet brown sugar and cinnamon
- extra cheesy earthquake bread with a hidden cheesy center
- pull apart monkey bread with a sweet glaze
- cheesy garlic knots
- the best bread you could ever make
Hot Cross Buns
These hot cross buns studded with plump dried cherries and luscious melty chunks of white chocolate are incredibly soft, fluffy, and delicious.
- 8x8 inch pan
- 120 g water (warm, ~1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 250 g bread flour (~1 3/4 cups)
- 30 g sugar (~2 tbsp)
- 5 g cinnamon (~2 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 large egg (lightly beaten, see notes)
- 25 g butter (room temp, ~2tbsp)
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup white chocolate (chopped, plus extra for crosses)
- 1 tbsp apricot jam
Sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and let proof. Meanwhile, in the bowl of your mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Whisk the egg into the foamy yeast mixture, then add the mix to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to stir together until everything comes into a ball. Switch to a dough hook and knead on low until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides.
Add the room temperature butter and continue to knead on medium-low, for about 10 minutes, until the dough reaches the windowpane stage – take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and stretch it out between your fingers and thumbs. If you can stretch it without the dough breaking and you can see through the stretched dough, you’re good to go. If the dough doesn’t windowpane, knead a bit longer. Knead in the cherries and white chocolate.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled, 1-2 hours; dough that has mix-ins takes longer to rise.
Take the dough and tip it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down lightly then divide into 9 equal portions. If you want to be precise, use your kitchen scale to see how much your dough weighs, then divide by 9. Shape the portions of dough by bring the edges towards the center and tucking into balls. Lightly grease a 8×8 baking pan and evenly space the buns. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly. Stir the apricot jam with 2 teaspoons of hot water and gently brush on top of the buns. Pipe on crosses with melted white chocolate and enjoy!
For 1/2 large egg, whisk a whole egg in a small bowl, then measure out half of the weight or just use 1 1/2 tablespoons of the whisked egg.
I Am... Corn Cheese
Corn cheese is the ultimate snack or side for your late summer BBQ. Here’s why you need to make corn cheese today:
A piping hot skillet served at the table with steam still wafting up is the best thing. I love how it can be a snack, side, or even a main dish.
If you’ve been to Korean BBQ or out for Korean food and drinks, I’m sure you’ve come across Korean corn cheese. That gloriously golden, cheesy, stringy, hot, and delicious mess of sweet corn and cheese served in a skillet or a little special dish around the grill. It’s sweet, salty, creamy, gooey, and SO delicious. And the best part is that it is the easiest side dish to put together.What is corn cheese 콘치즈?
Corn cheese is the best KBBQ side dish. I love melty cheese and I love corn and the combination is just out of this world. Essentially it’s a combination of canned corn, butter, mayo, sugar, and cheese baked up until golden and warm. It’s a classic Korean anju or drinking food. You just scoop it out with a spoon and pop the deliciousness into your mouth. It’s like fondue but with bits of sweet corn in it: sweet, savory, and cheesy.Why does Korean corn cheese taste so good?
The combination of sweet kernels of corn, the creaminess of mayo, and the meltiness of the cheese combines together into a sweet and savory dish that is out of this world. It has a balance of flavors, textural contrast, and it’s fun to make and eat. Don’t sleep on corn cheese, it’s amazing!
How to make corn cheese
- Gather your ingredients. Drain your corn, melt the butter, measure out the mayo and sugar.
- Stir everything together. In a bowl, mix everything together then taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake. Top with some extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden.
- Enjoy!
Corn cheese ingredients
- Corn - I like to use canned corn. It’s super sweet and it’s what they use in restaurants. You can also use fresh or frozen corn, more on that below.
- Butter - Butter and corn just go together.
- Mayo - The best mayo to use is Kewpie mayo, it has so much flavor and deliciousness.
- Sugar - A little bit of sugar highlights the sweet and savory combination of corn and cheese.
- Cheese - Melty mozzarella is the best cheese to use but you can use any melty cheese, it’ll just change the flavor. Mozzarella is good because it’s super mild and highlights the flavor of the corn.
How to eat
This is usually served as a side dish or appetizer or alongside alcohol. If you’re doing a whole Korean BBQ party, you can serve it along with all the other banchan. Or, serve it on its own with some ice cold beer or soju as the best drinking snack.What kind of corn
Usually they use canned corn in Korea, but you can use fresh corn too. If you’re using fresh in season corn, simply cut it off the cob and sauté it for a bit longer in the butter. You can also use frozen corn as well.What kind of cheese
Mozzarella is the meltiest, stretchiest cheese and is what is usually used but you can go for any melty cheese: colby, harvarti, swiss, fontina, monterey jack, provolone, American. Imagine corn cheese with melty cheese hot from the oven and then burrata torn on top?! The creaminess!Variations
This is usually a pretty simple dish, but the beauty of it is that you can add in so many things! Try:- diced onions
- diced chilis
- crispy bacon
- bulgogi
- tteokbokki
- Korean fried chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of corn?
I like to use canned corn because it’s easy and it tastes good. Canned corn has all the nutrients of fresh, it’s picked at the height of ripeness, and it’s actually cheaper than fresh corn. Frozen corn works too, just be sure to defrost it and drain it well. After canned and frozen comes fresh, but you have to peel the husks and cut it off the cob. I feel like fresh corn is best enjoyed grilled or on the cob.
Do I need a skillet?
Nope, you can just any oven safe dish as long as it can withstand the heat. I like to use a skillet because it retains the heat longer and keeps the cheese hot and melty, but any casserole dish will work great.
Where do they serve corn cheese?
They serve corn cheese at most Korean BBQ places and also at drinking places and bars. It’s considered anju, which means food you eat with alcohol. Anju foods are usually delicious addictive foods that pair well with soju and beer.
I hope you have some soon. It’s truly comforting and will make you feel cozy and good inside! xoxo stephCorn Cheese
a gloriously golden, cheesy, hot, and delicious mess of sweet corn and cheese.
- 15 oz corn (drained well, 1 can )
- 1/4 cup mayo (Kewpie preferred)
- 1 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix together the drained corn, mayo, melted butter, sugar, and half of the cheese. If desired, stir in 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Scoop the corn mix into an ovenproof dish or skillet and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melty. Broil on high for 1-2 minutes until the top is toasty and brown. Remove and enjoy!
I Am... Taco Chili
Super warming, filling, and cozy: taco chili is one of the easiest, coziest dinner you can make. If you love the flavors of tacos and the cozy spoonability of chili, you are going to fall in love with taco chili. This taco chili recipe is incredibly easy to make and the flavor pay off is huge. Taco chili is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a weekend lunch, and is always a winner during game day party season (it's the playoffs soon!). Taco chili is what would happen if tortilla soup and chili had a baby. All the flavors of taco soup with the heartiness of chili. It’s truly one of our go-to meals.
How to make taco chili
- Sauté - Start off by cooking ground beef until it’s crumbled and browned. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic, then cook until aromatic. When everything smells amazing, stir in the taco and ranch seasoning.
- Simmer - Simmer everything together develop the flavors and thicken. You can simmer on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or pressure cook in an Instant Pot.
- Top - Once everything comes together into a thick and hearty chili, it’s time to serve by finishing off with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro. Bonus points if you add some Fritos!
Taco chili ingredients
- ground beef - go for lean ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. It’s up to you! We almost always use lean ground beef.
- aromatics - a diced onion, green bell pepper, and plenty of garlic add aroma and flavor.
- seasoning - taco chili gets its seasonings from taco and ranch seasoning. You can buy the packets at the store (if you do, go for low sodium so you can adjust the salt to taste) or you can go homemade. If you’re doing homemade, you’ll need 2 tbsp of each seasoning mix.
- beans - there are two cans of beans in this chili to bulk it up, add protein, and nutrients. A can of refried beans adds creamy thickness and rinsed and drained pinto beans add texture.
- diced green chilis - this little can of chilis adds a mild and smoky flavor to your chili. You can choose between mild and hot, so pick according to your spice preference.
- tomatoes - we’re going to use a mix of fire roasted tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to make up the bulk of this chili. The fire roasted tomatoes add a huge amount of smoky flavor and the crushed tomatoes cook down into a thick, hearty base. If you have tomato sauce or regular chopped tomatoes on hand, you can use those instead.
Why this taco chili
The reason I love (love love) this version because of the ranch seasoning (either homemade or store bought) and a can of refried beans. The ranch seasoning adds a tangy you-can’t-quite-figure-it-out-but-can’t-stop-eating-it flavor. The hint of tanginess from the buttermilk powder in ranch really makes this chili addictive. The refried beans, while not traditional in chili, adds a creamy thickness that is spoonable and comforting.Stovetop taco chili instructions
For stove top chili, sauté the beef, onions, bell pepper, and garlic in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Stir in the taco and ranch seasoning, beans, green chilis, and both cans of tomatoes. Partially cover, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Stir in extra water or chicken stock if it gets too dry. Taste, season, and serve.Slow cooker taco chili instructions
Use a skillet to brown the beef, onions, bell pepper, and garlic, then add to the crock pot insert. Stir in the taco and ranch seasoning, beans, green chilis, and both cans of tomatoes. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, stirring in extra water or chicken stock if it gets too dry. Taste, season, and serve.Instant Pot taco chili instructions
Sauté the beef, onions, bell pepper, and garlic in the Instant Pot insert over high then stir in the taco and ranch seasoning. Add the beans, green chilis, and both cans of tomatoes. Stir well, put the lid on and set the pressure to high and cook time to 30 minutes. Quick release when the cooking time is complete. Stir, taste, and season.Chili toppings
This chili is delicious on its own, but when you add toppings it’s magical. Customize to your heart’s content with a topping bar. Try:- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- chopped cilantro
- thinly sliced green onions
- avocados
- diced onions
- tortilla chips or Fritos
If you love taco chili, you will also love
Happy cozy bowl food season! xoxo stephTaco Chili
If tortilla soup and chili had a baby
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 lb ground beef (lean preferred)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 bell pepper (green preferred, seeded and diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 package taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp homemade, see notes)
- 1 package ranch seasoning (or 2 tbsp homemade, see notes)
- 15 oz pinto beans (rinsed and drained, optional)
- 16 oz refried beans
- 4 oz chopped green chiles
- 14.5 oz fire roasted tomatoes
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat up the oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up, until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain off any excess fat, if needed.
Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. When the vegetables are aromatic and slightly soft, stir in the taco and ranch seasoning.
Add the drained and rinsed beans,green chilis (with the juice), both cans of tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Stir everything to mix evenly, and bring to a boil over medium high.
Turn the heat down to low and simmer, with the occasional bubble popping up, partially covered. Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Finally, stir in the refried beans. Taste, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy!
If you’re using home made ranch seasoning and homemade taco seasoning, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of each.
I Am... Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
These oatmeal strawberry muffins are the perfect combination of healthy and sweet treat. A hearty, healthy(ish) oatmeal muffin studded with sweet strawberries. Spring is in the air. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom and the sunshine is starting to give me serious serotonin. Whenever the weather turns warm, I think about long walks, picnics, and chill vibes hikes. And when I think about hikes, I think about hiking snacks, like these muffins! They’re topped with a sprinkle of crunchy sanding sugar and have a hefty amount of protein rich, keep-you-full, rolled oats. I love the combination of juicy, jammy strawberries with the nuttiness of oats.
Why make strawberry oatmeal muffins
Muffins are my favorite because they’re kind of like granola bars, but better. They’re portable, they fill you up, and they taste good too. What more could you want? This recipe is a riff off of my favorite blueberry muffin recipe but with strawberries instead of blueberries and the added whole grain nuttiness of rolled oats. It’s the perfect springtime muffin - reminding me of warmer days ahead filled with summer strawberries.How to make oatmeal muffins
- Soak. Soak the oats in a bit of milk to soften and thicken.
- Cream. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then stir in an egg, vanilla, and the oat-milk mixture.
- Stir. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the creamed mix, stirring until just combined.
- Mix. Mix in the strawberries and spoon out the batter into a muffin tin. Top with a sprinkle of rolled oats.
- Bake. Bake, let cool, and enjoy!
Oatmeal muffin ingredients
These oatmeal muffins have all your classic ingredients: butter, milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. Essentially the only thing we’re doing a bit differently is adding oats. Old fashioned rolled oats, sometimes just called rolled oats, are what we’re going to use in these muffins. We’re going to soak them in milk to activate their thickening power and give them a chance to rehydrate before adding to the muffin batter so the oats bake up lighter and fluffier.Oatmeal muffin variations
You can customize these muffins with any fruit you like! Substitute raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, even shredded carrots or zucchini. To add some chocolate goodness, stir in 1/2-3/4 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips when you add the fruit.If you love muffins, here are a couple of other muffin recipes to try:
- The best blueberry muffin recipe
- Crisp and chewy coconut mochi muffins
- Banana chocolate chip muffins
Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
These oatmeal strawberry muffins are the perfect combination of healthy and sweet treat.
- muffin tins
- 1/2 cup milk (of choice)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (plus extra to sprinkle)
- 1 cup strawberries (roughly chopped or sliced)
- 1/4 cup butter (at room temp)
- 10 tbsp sugar (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp coarse sanding sugar (or more, for tops)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the milk and oats together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and let soak. In another bowl, optionally toss the strawberries with 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the egg, beating well. Stir in the vanilla and the soaked oats.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently stir the flour mix to the creamed oats mix.
Drain the strawberries then fold in gently.
Line a standard muffin tin with 6 liners, and fill equally with the batter. Sprinkle the sanding sugar and a couple of oats over the tops of the muffins, and bake at for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are golden and toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing muffins from tins and enjoy!
I Am... Cereal Pancakes – Tiny Mini Pancakes!
I love all mini things, especially mini food like these cereal pancakes. I’ve had a thing for mini pancakes for a while (see these mini strawberry shortcake cuties), so when I started seeing a huge amount of pancake cereal TikToks, I knew I had to make some! Trust me when I say that pancakes taste better when they’re mini. 10/10 would recommend.
What are cereal pancakes?
Pancake cereal is just pancakes, but mini, so they’re cereal sized! Imagine tiny, tiny freshly cooked pancakes in a bowl and there you have it: pancake cereal!How to make pancake cereal
- Make your pancake batter. I like to use my favorite pancake recipe because it’s the perfect consistency for piping out into pancake cereal, not too thick and not too thin. My recipe makes enough for one big bowl of cereal or two smaller ones and is perfect because it doesn’t use up too much flour or butter. You can use my favorite recipe (see below), your go to pancake recipe, or boxed pancake mix. Whatever you end up doing, make sure the pancake batter is not too thick and not to thin or runny. If the batter is too thin all the pancakes will run into each other.If it’s too thick you won’t be able to pipe it out. Make sure it’s not too lumpy either or it won’t pipe out smoothly.
- Once your pancake batter is mixed up and the right consistency, put it into a squeeze bottle with a small opening OR put it in a ziplock bag. Don’t cut off the tip of the ziplock bag until you’re ready to cook. Also, it’s better to make the cut on the bag pretty tiny. If the hole is too big, your pancakes will also end up pretty big.
- When your batter is ready, heat up a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of oil on your pan. Pipe out small pancakes or drop the batter by the 1/4 teaspoon and cook until small bubbles form on the surface and at the edges. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown, about 30 seconds more.
How do you eat pancake cereal?
To fork or not to fork...I’ve seen people use a fork to poke the pancakes essentially making mini stacks of pancakes and I’ve also seen people using a spoon. I think how you eat them is up to you. I’ve tried them both ways and I think it depends on how big you make your mini pancakes. Obviously if your pancake are really teeny you won’t be able to use a fork. Go with your gut and just do you.Milk or No Milk?
This one is up to you too! I like my pancake cereal with just butter and syrup, but if you’re a milk lover, by all means, pour some milk on there. Just don’t be all crazy and put the milk in the bowl first, mmmkay?What equipment do you need to make pancake cereal?
You just need a regular bowl, a non-stick frying pan (very important when making pancakes), a squeeze bottle or ziplock bag with the tip cut off, a spatula (or a pair of chopsticks) to flip, and a bowl to eat out of. Side note: I like using an electric crepe maker because it’s the absolute best at keeping the heat at the proper temperature – I use it whenever I make pancakes.Pancake cereal flavors to try?
Here’s where you can go crazy and have some fun. You can do chocolate pancakes for a cookies ‘n cream pancake cereal, add some strawberries or marshmallows, or cinnamon sugar, or nuts, add oreos for oreos pancake cereal, bananas, vanilla, sprinkles, the world is your pancake cereal canvas so go wild!Strawberry Shortcake Cereal Pancakes
These are the perfect summer cereal pancake: super mini vanilla cereal pancakes with juicy strawberries and soft whipped cream. Fork it or spoon it, either way these are the DREAM summer breakfast or brunch.How to make strawberry shortcake cereal pancakes
- Pick the smallest strawberries at the store or farmer’s market - the smaller the berry, the sweeter.
- Wash and hull the berries, then cut them in halves or quarters. Sprinkle them with a bit of sugar and a tiny pinch of salt so the berries macerate and get super juicy.
- Make some softly whipped cream by pouring 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream into a chilled bowl with 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk until soft peaks form (use an electric whisk if you have it!) then keep cold in the fridge.
- While the berries are getting juicy, make the pancakes as per the recipe below.
- Place the pancakes on a plate or bowl and top with the whipped cream and strawberries spooned on top. Enjoy!
Pancake Cereal Tips and Tricks
- Use oil instead of butter for the pan. Butter has a low heat point so it’s better to use oil if you don’t want your pancakes to end up burnt-looking.
- Keep the pan on low heat to start and then turn up the heat once you’ve piped out all the pancakes. Or, if you’re really slow, you can heat the pan, then turn it off, pipe out the pancakes, then turn the stove on after you’re done to cook them.
- Pipe the pancakes out smaller than you think - they will spread a tiny bit. If you want extra mini pancakes, your pancake batter should just be smaller than the size of a dime.
- If you’re not particular, use a giant flipper to flip all your pancakes at once. Or, use a pair of chopsticks to flip over each pancake individually. You can even just shake and toss the pan.
- If you want your pancakes to be warm, keep them warm in the oven. Because they’re so tiny, they don’t stay warm for very long. If you want warm pancakes, keep them warm in a low oven.
Pancake Cereal Recipe
Pancakes, but make it MINI! Pop these super cute tiny cereal sized pancakes in a bowl for pancake cereal!
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (sub milk or see notes)
- 1.5 tbsp whisked egg
- oil for the pan
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Add the whisked egg and buttermilk to the bowl, gently combine with a fork, being careful not to over mix, but mixing out all the large lumps
Pour the pancake batter into a squeeze bottle or ziplock bag with a tiny corner cut off. Or you can use a teaspoon to scoop it out.
Heat up a non-stick pan over over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of oil on your pan. Squeeze out mini pancake (or drop the batter by the teaspoon) and cook until the pancakes start to bubble. When you flip them, they should be golden brown. Continue cooking for another 30 seconds or 1 minute, or until golden brown. Scoop the pancakes out into a bowl.
Serve with a pat of butter and drizzle with syrup! Milk optional :)
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, make an easy substitute by mixing together a scant 1/2 cup milk with 1.5 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice. Do this at the beginning so it has time to thicken up.
