inside out california rolls

i decided to take on sushi last night for dinner. of course, two hours later i was starving, but i guess that happens even when the big guys make it. having zero experience in the sushi rolling department, i found that it was uber easy and all i did was watch this video. happy tasting!

green tea latte, part deux

after a trip to a foreign country (lee lee's asian supermarket) to pick up some experimental ingredients, i came up with the perfect green tea latte recipe that mimicks the starbucks version almost identically. i lurve it. happy tasting!

courtesy of: missi
makes: 1 venti latte

- 3 tbsp greenmax boba milk tea powder - green tea flavor ($6.99 for 24.5oz @ lee lee's)
- 1 tbsp blue agave nectar
- 1/2 c hot water
- 3/4 c steamed milk

1. dissolve the milk powder in the hot water. add blue agave and steamed milk. stir and serve hot.

*tip: if you don't have a milk steamer, bring milk to high heat in the microwave and briskly whisk until frothy.

*tip: to make an iced version, instead of steamed milk, add cold milk and ice cubes. (you will still need to use hot water to dissolve the powder)

green tea latte

in an effort to cut the amount of dollars i spend per week at starbucks, i've decided to start making my latte's at home. thankfully, i was a barista in high school so the whole "venti, decaf, triple shot, sugar free, vanilla, 2% milk, extra white mocha, extra hot, no whip, no foam, extra drizzle, marble mocha macchiato" is no mystery to me. however, my order is much simpler. happy tasting!

courtesy of: recipe zaar
serves: 1

- 1/2 tsp matcha green tea powder
- 2 oz hot water
- sugar
- 4 oz milk (steamed or cold)
- 1 tsp vanilla syrup (optional)

1. mix matcha green tea powder with the hot water until dissolved. stir in sugar to taste. add milk (and optional vanilla syrup) and stir.

*tip: use hot or steamed milk for a hot latte, cold milk and ice for an iced latte, or toss in a blender with ice cubes for a smoothie.

tomato and spinach crepes and mushroom soup

last night, i began a highly anticipated project which started in france via film, food, and imagination. these two recipes were the perfect compliment to each other and i paired them with a pinot noir. light, easy, and delicious. happy tasting!

courtesy of: missi
serves: 4

crepes:
- 1c flour
- 1/2c milk
- 1/2c water
- 2 eggs
- 1/4tsp salt
- 2tbsp butter, melted

1. with a whisk, combine the eggs and flour in a med sized bowl. gradually add in the milk and water. add the salt and butter and beat until smooth.

2. in a med sized skillet, coated with non-stick spray over med-heat, ladle in the batter (1/4c at a time) and tilt the pan in a circular motion coating the bottom evenly.

3. cook each crepe 2 minutes. loosen with a spatula and continue cooking on the other side until lightly brown.

tomato and spinach filling:
- 2c tomatoes, diced
- 2c baby spinach
- 1 onion, diced and sauteed
- 8oz goat cheese, crumbled

1. assemble crepes: crepe, tomato, spinach, onion, cheese. fold and repeat.

mushroom soup:
- 3/4lbs your favorite mushrooms, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 4tsp flour
- 1c stock {beef or vegetable}
- 4tbsp butter
- 1/2 bay leaf
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2c half and half

1. in a soup pot, melt the butter and sautee the mushrooms and onion. add the flour, cook 1 min. add the stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper. simmer 3 minutes and remove the bay leaf.

2. add the half and half, warm through, and serve hot.

guiness chocolate cupcakes with bailey's irish cream frosting

three of my favorite flavors in one; guinness, baileys, and cupcakes. me + this recipe = bliss. all i'm missing is the coffee. it also makes for a perfect ending on st. patrick's day. happy tasting!

courtesy of: smitten kitchen
makes: 24 cupcakes

cupcakes:
- 1c guinness
- 1c butter
- 3/4c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2c all purpose flour
- 2c sugar
- 1-1/2tsp baking soda
- 3/4tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3c sour cream

filling:
- 8oz bittersweet chocolate
- 2/3c heavy cream
- 2tbsp butter, room temp
- 1-2tbsp irish whiskey (optional)

bailey's frosting:
- 3-4c confectioner's sugar
- 1 stick butter, unsalted at room temp
- 3-4tbsp bailey's
*note: this frosting makes just enough to cover the cupcakes at minimal. if you want a huge heaping pile of uber sweet bailey's frosting on top, i suggest you double the recipe. however, just a touch of frosting is plenty if you consider the sweetness.

make the cupcakes:
1. preheat the oven to 350. line 24 cupcake cups with liners. bring 1c guinness and 1c butter to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan over med heat. add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. cool slightly.

2. whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4tsp salt in a large bowl to blend. using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. add guinness-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. add the flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. divide the batter among the cupcake cups, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. bake until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. rotating them once, front to back, if your oven bakes unevenly. about 17 min. cool cupcakes on a rack completely before frosting.

make the filling:
1. chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. let it sit for 1 min and then stir until smooth. (if this does not sufficiently melt the chocolate, pour it into a double broiler and melt it carefully) add the butter and whiskey (if you're using it) and stir until combined.

2. let the filling cool until thick, but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along, but you must stir it every 10 min). meanwhile, using your 1" round cookie cutter or an apple corer, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, aiming for 2/3 of the way down. a slim spoon or grapefruit knife will help you get the center out. put the filling into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the cupcakes until full.

make the frosting:
1. whip the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, several minutes. slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tbsps at a time. when the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle the bailey's and whip until combined. if this has made the frosting too thin (which it shouldn't), beat in another tbsp or two of powdered sugar.

2. ice and decorate the cupcakes.