Best Blueberry Muffins

This recipe was from AmericanTestKitchen.com. After looking at this recipe you might think... this is not healthy! There is butter and sugar in there! I would have to say I believe in moderation. I don't believe in cutting things out of my diet. Instead of eating 2 of 3 blueberry muffins I will only have one. I'm baking them for my office pot luck this week. It's always nice to have just one and share it with friends. One thing I discover while making these muffins is that more isn't always better. To boost berry flavor in a muffin, simply adding more blueberries isn't the answer. With too many in the mix, the berries sink to the bottom, weighing the muffin down. You can cook half of fresh blueberries into thick jam to concentrate their flavor and eliminate excess moisture.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/8 cups sugar 
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 11/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not overmix.)
3. Use  large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over muffins.
4. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Linguine With Asparagus and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:
12 ounces linguine (3/4 box)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup shaved Parmesan (about 3 ounces)

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the asparagus mixture to the pasta along with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder

This is a great slow cooker recipe I found on Real Simple. I made it 3 times so far and each time turned out with great result. I tried this recipe with the meat cut into 2 inch pieces and with the whole piece of the meat. The best way to cook was to place the whole 2 ½ lb pork shoulder into the slow cooker. The meat was able to retain the juice and stay very tender that way. The timing to place the bok choy into the slow cooker was also tricky. I over cooked the bok choy once. The best time to place the bok choy in the slow cooker is when it's still cooking on low around 15 to 20 minutes before severing.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 medium head bok choy, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
2 scallions, sliced

Directions:
1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, sugar, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, and five-spice powder. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cook, covered, until the pork is tender, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. Meanwhile, skim off and discard any fat from the pork. Gently fold the bok choy into the pork and cook, covered, until heated through, 15 minutes. Serve with the rice and sprinkle with the scallions.

Zucchini Stir-Fried with Beef

This recipe was from Taste of the Far East by Madhur Jaffrey. She's well known for writing many Indian cook books. This cookbook won the The James Beard Cook Book Of The Year Award.

The book is broken into different regions of Asia. There are recipes from Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines and Indonesia. The Zucchini Stir-Fried with Beef recipe is a Korean dish. 

 

Ingredients:

1 lb medium zucchini, sliced in 1/4 inch slices

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 scallions cut into find rounds
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds

For marinating the beef:
1/2 lb flank steak, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
1 scallionscut into very fine rounds
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions:
1. Mix the beef with soy sauce, scallions, black pepper, sesame seeds and sesame oil in a bowl and set aside for 30mins.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When hot, put in the meat. Stir and fry for 2 minutes until the meat change color. Add the zucchini and stir gently. Put in the soy sauce, sugar, scallions, ginger, garlic and chilli powerder. Stir gently and cook for 2 minties. Turn down he heat and stir-fry gently for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top just before serving. I served this dish with brown rice.

Japanese Shabu Shabu

Shabu shabu is a Japanese hot pot similar to sukiyaki. Both are cooked and eaten at the table. It's easy to prepare shabu shabu and is fun to eat. The name shabu-shabu imitates the sound you make as you gently swish your chopstick-held piece of raw meat in the steaming broth. Meat cooks quickly in boiling water, and these paper-thin slices are done in a few seconds, so the secret is not to lose them in the broth. Vegetable ingredients, however, usually take a little longer time, so they are cooked according to the "drop-and-retrieve" method used in most other nabemono dishes.

Ingredients:
1 lb very thinly sliced beef (sirloin), preferably grain-fed. Beer-fed Kobe beef is the best
1 lb fresh shrimp
8 shiitake mushrooms wiped clean and stems trimmed
1/2 lb enoki mushrooms
1 lb Chinese cabbage cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb tofu, cut in 1 in. cubes, pressed and drained
1 package kuzukiri noodles soaked for 5 minutes in cold water and drained
3 package of fish balls

Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
ponzu sauce
sesame sauce

Directions:
1. Around the table, set each place with 1 small bowl and 1 pair of chopsticks.
2. In a large pot boil 8 cups of water. When water is boiling remove from the heat and move it to the small stove on the dinner table. Place the pot in the center of the table within easy reach of everyone. Keep the stock simmering throughout the meal, adding more water as necessary.
3. Arrange the beef and vegetables on a large platter. Cover and chill until ready to cook.
4. Add small amount of green onions, cilantro, ponzu sauce and sesame sauce in the small bowl.
5. To serve, remove the lid on the shabu-shabu cooker. In turn, each guest picks up ingredients with a pair of chopsticks and holds in the boiling stock until just done. The cooked ingredients then are dipped in the individual's sauce bowl and eaten with rice.

Note: Make sure not to overcook meat and vegetables. Steak should be pale pink when cooked and vegetables tender but still crisp.

Crispy Turkey Cutlets With Green Bean Salad

Two new post tonight! I didn't get a chance to post last night's recipe until today. Loved tonight's turkey cutlets dish. The steamed green beans salad was amazing.  

Ingredients:
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, quartered
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
4 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 thin turkey cutlets (about 1 pound total)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Place the beans in the basket, cover, and steam until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Run under cold water to cool.
2. In a large bowl, toss the beans with the tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3. Season the turkey with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat with the flour, then dip in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), and then coat with the bread crumbs, pressing gently to help them adhere.
4. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with the salad and lemon wedges.

Fettuccine With Lima Beans, Peas, and Leeks

This was a dish with very simple creamy sauce. The recipe was from Real Simple. The leeks and the tarragon give this dish great flavors. I also used whole wheat fettuccine.

Ingredients:
12 ounces fettuccine (3/4 box)
1 10-ounce package frozen lima beans (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into half-moons
kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan (1 ounce)

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the beans and peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (but not brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the pasta and tarragon to the skillet and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving.