Thursday, March 23, 2023

Boba Tea

 Bubble tea most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls. It can contain fruit juice or milk, and is sometimes a blended frozen drink. Tapioca pears are available at Asian grocery stores and some in a variety of sizes and colors. But! Did you know it is possible to make them yourself? You will need tapioca starch, fruit, sugar, a sauce pan, and a blender. Today we make DIY tapioca pears from scratch!

1. Add fruit to your blender to get 1/2 C. puree

2. Add puree,1/2 C. tapica starch, and 1/2 C. sugar to a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until it turns into a goo.


3. Transfer goo to a bowl with another 1 C. tapioca starch, and blend it until starch is incorporated, and feels and acts like playdough.

4. Roll out a long snake of dough and chop into tiny pieces. Roll pieces into balls. After trying this once, I would suggest that smaller is better as the larger ones remain super chewy even after cooking.  

 5. Next you boil the pearls for 20 minutes.

6. Make a tea and add cooked tapioca and serve.

Peter

I found this set of rabbits at Target. So fun.

Saturday, March 11, 2023

Chicken a la king

  • 1 package sliced fresh mushrooms (traditional)
  • 1/2 chopped onion
  • 2 ribs chopped celery
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups cubed cooked chicken (leftover rotissery chicken or whatever you have)
  • 2 tablespoons diced pimientos (traditional)
I added peas and omitted mushrooms and pimientos
  1. Bake biscuits according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and celery in butter until crisp-tender. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
  2. Add chicken and pimientos; heat through. Serve with biscuits.

Friday, March 10, 2023

Hash

Leftover corned beef and Yukon potatoes fried. Served with basted eggs, tomatoes, and avocados.

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Bird house

Make a little bird house in your soul.

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Banana bread

  • 5 Tablespoons butter 
  • 1/2 C. granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 C. brown sugar 
  • 1 large egg 
  • 2 egg whites (You can use two whole eggs, its just a bit denser) 
  • 1 tsp. vanilla (I usually do not add) 
  • 1 1/2 C mashed very ripe bananas (About three) 
  • 1 3/4 C. ap flour 
  • 1 tsp. baking soda 
  • 1/2 tsp. salt 
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder 
  • 1/2 C. heavy cream (milk is just fine) 
  • 1/3 C. chopped nuts (I always always omit!) 
  1. Preheat oven to 350*. Spray bottom only of 9x5x3 loaf pan with nonstick spray.
  2. Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugars and beat well. Add egg and vanilla, beat well until blended. Add mashed banana on medium high speed.
  3. Combine dry ingredients and add them to butter mixture, alternating with milk. Fold nuts in last.
  4. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake 1 hour 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool on wire rack.