Refreshing and Light Sesame Cucumber Carrot Salad

It’s this time of year that everyone around us seems to be sharing lists of resolutions and aspirations of what their vision of 2014 could be. For us? We’ll just say that instead of listing-out resolutions, we started off New Years Day with a big batch of yummy fried chicken and some extra sips of proseco. That’s how we roll, as of late, by enjoying things that make us happy, even if it includes delicious moments of crispy chicken skin and a drink. Or Two.

But that’s not to say that we’ve totally jumped off the wrong end of 2014. Though we’ll have our moments of splurge, there’s still that joy of cooking fresh vegetables while their at their peak. Regardless of how decadent our meals are, there’s always a fresh green salad, some raw snacking veggies or a platter of fresh herbs to accompany our meal. It’s these bites of fresh greens that really highlight our meals.

Yes, the fried chicken was great, but so was this refreshing cucumber salad. This is one of our go-to salads. It’s one of those salads that we threw together one day and has now become a favorite. Doesn’t that often happen to you too? when you’re just whipping something together real-quick in the kitchen and suddenly it’s quickly becomes one of your favorites. Well, this 15 minute cucumber salad is just-it and it’s the perfect accompaniment to any entree or even on it’s own as a light snack.

So aside form the fried chicken, we really did start off the new year on a fresh”er” and healthy-”er” dish. And best of all? this salad is light, crisp, refreshing and satisfying that you don’t even have to think about calorie-counting.

And how was your New Year? Hope it was grand and safe. Hope you’re all rested, refreshed and ready for the big ’14. Enjoy this year as much as you can, because before you know it, it’ll be 2015!

Happy New Year everyone!

Yield: Serves about 4

Total Time: 30 min

Our favorite cucumbers are the crisp, seedless kind like persian or japanese cucumbers. These cucumbers have such a tender outside skin and crispy texture that they just make the perfect snacking cucumber. And when it comes to salads, these cucumbers can't be beat.

1 pound (455g) cucumbers, sliced thin1 large carrot, julienned1 tablespoon grape seed oil (or other clean tasting oil)2 tablespoons rice vinegar1 teaspoon sesame seed oil2 teaspoons sugar2 teaspoons soy sauce1 tablespoon toasted sesame seedsCombine the cucumbers and carrots in a bowl. Set aside.In another bowl, whisk together the grape seed oil, rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, sugar, and soy sauce.  Taste for seasoning and adjust to individual preference.Toss the cucumbers and carrots with the dressing. Fold in the sesame seeds. Chill for 20 minutes or up to overnight and then serve.

View the original article here

Braised Chicken with Carrot and Mushroom

It goes without saying that I love cooking. However, just like everyone else, I don’t like the “aftermath” of cooking—oil splattering all over my cooktop (even my hands), greasy kitchen backsplash, countertop, and kitchen floor. I don’t enjoy the clean-up because as a clean freak, I pretty much have to mop my entire kitchen every time after I cook. Not fun.

So, I am thrilled to be working with Beka Cookware on its new Clean Cooking Fry Pan with Anti-Splatter Lid. I got the fry pan a few days ago and yesterday, I tested it out with my favorite braised chicken with carrot and mushroom. I usually make this dish with a French Oven, but Clean Cooking fry pan is a perfect alternative.

First I pan-fried the chicken, and then I braised it over low heat. The braised chicken was absolutely scrumptious, crispy on the outside while tender and moist on the inside…the best thing of all, my kitchen countertop and cooker hobs were clean with no messy spatters everywhere. It was amazing!

I love Beka Cookware Clean Cooking Fry Pan and its unique lid which sits low on the fry-pan. Regular lids often trap too much steam and as a result render the food soggy, or worst still, set off even more spatters as the steam/water drops back into the pan. The engineers at BEKA Cookware came out with an innovative design that allows air to circulate while controlling the spatters from frying or searing. The design also allows the ventilation needed to prevent steam build up and thus producing perfectly fried and seared foods that are done to perfection, without creating a big mess!

Without further ado, let’s start cooking with Beka Cookware with my braised chicken with carrot and mushroom recipe. This dish is perfect and hearty for Fall/Winter. With Beka Cookware, you can actually spend more time with your family, instead of in the kitchen cleaning. Please stay tuned for the giveaway of Clean Cooking Fry Pan later this week…one lucky reader will be walking away with the pan!

About Beka Cookware

Founded in 1899, Beka Cookware combines over 100 years of engineering excellence with a young and ambitious spirit. This experience and determination has given birth to the brand new Eco-Logic cookware utilizing high-tech Bekadur non-stick coatings to promote healthier lifestyles and a safer environment. Using quality materials and the latest in advanced manufacturing processes Beka creates products that are built to last while setting new standards in the cookware industry.

Buy Beka Cookware Products: http://www.beka-cookware.com/
Like Beka Cookware at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BekaCookware
Follow Beka Cookware Pinterest Boards: https://www.pinterest.com/BekaCookware/
Subscribe to Beka Cookware YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BekaCookware

(Click Page 2 for the Braised Chicken with Carrot and Mushroom Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

View the original article here

Sigrid’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting from The Pioneer Woman

To make a long story short, we triangulated the US in the last seven days from Long Beach, to New York City to Seattle and back to Long Beach. After stumbling off the last flight and back into the house, we found Ree’s new book waiting for us on the dinner table. What a sweet treat to come home to after a week of travel. This made us smile. It wasn’t soon after, we were craving to cook again and before you knew it, we were diving into one of the best carrot cakes that we ever had.

If you’ve been searching for the easiest and most tender carrot cake recipe, then look no further. This is THE carrot cake to make. Two well deserved credits are tied to this recipe: Ree, The Pioneer Woman and her mom’s longtime friend, Sigrid. We’ve never met Sigrid before, but we owe her a big hug for passing on such an heirloom recipe. And we owe Ree a big hug for sharing such a timeless, winning recipe and a big congrats on her latest book, A Year of Holidays.

Ree’s cookbooks are like no other and for any of you who have flipped through one, you’ll know it’s a warm invitation into her home. It’s just not her life that flows through the pages, but the lives of everyone dear to her. Including her doggies, whom always have a special place in our doggie-loving-hearts. This latest book is special because the recipes revolve around the holidays, a yearlong seasonal feast for the most special days of the year.

Indeed, there’s plenty of family pictures too and it’s fun to see how her kids have matured. They’ve grown like weeds!

Though this carrot cake recipe was in the Easter chapter, we feel that this is the type of cake that embodies the sensibilities of Fall too. Warm spices like cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg (we added these extra spices) lend perfectly to a holiday table. It’s even perfect for Halloween, so don’t rule it out as an option for the kiddies!

Paired with a great cup of coffee, fragrant hot tea, warm apple cider or holiday eggnog, this carrot cake comes even more alive on the senses. It’s the perfect sweet treat to share on your holiday table. And the carrot cake is true to the title of the book, it’s worthy for a year of holidays!

Enjoy and eat more cake!

-diane and todd

Yield: 12 Servings

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks A Year of Holidays. Ree attributes her recipe to Sigrid, a longtime friend of her mom, declaring the carrot cake one of the best in the Northern Hemisphere. After trying it, we'd have to agree whole heartedly. It is amazing. We adapted the recipe, adding a few more spices, increasing the amount of oil, and by changing the frosting to be a bit more fluid since we like to drizzle over the bundt shapes rather than spread. It is super moist, soft, and heavenly delicious. We divided the cake between two smaller bundt molds, reducing the time by 5-10 minutes, however this recipe is written up for the larger bundt mold since that is what most people will have available. Thanks Ree for another great recipe!

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg)1/4 teaspoon ground ginger1 cup (200g) sugar1 cup (220g) brown sugar1 1/4 cups (300ml) vegetable oil4 large eggs4-6 large carrots, washed, peeled, and grated (about 2 cups)1/2 cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter, softenedone 8 ounce (225g) package cream cheese, softened1 pound (455g) confectioners sugar2 teaspoons vanilla extract1/4 to 1/2 cup milkPreheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Set aside.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices for at least 20 seconds. Set aside.In a mixer, beat together the sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in the eggs until combined. Stir in the dry ingredients until smooth. Stir in the carrots until completely incorporated.Pour the batter in the prepared bundt pan. Smooth out the surface and firmly tap the pan against the counter to release any bubbles.Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the thickest part of the cake. Un-mold the cake and allow to cool before icing.Make the frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract. Beat in the milk starting with 1/4 cup, and then adding 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is at your desired consistency.Spoon the frosting over the fully cooled cake (you may have leftover icing- save it to frost some cookies!), and then slice and serve.

View the original article here

Thai Carrot and Mint Salad

The last couple of days in New York, we seemed to have transitioned from winter right into summer. The weather has been gloriously sunny, with temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s. With April being so fickle, the gorgeous weather is not predicted to last, but while it’s here I’m taking full advantage.

Which means long walks in the park in the morning and shorter walks in the afternoon as a work break. And leaving the windows open all day. And putting together simple salads as part of a light lunch.

This carrot and mint salad is one of those easy appetizers I’ll make on days like this, to go with some fried rice or noodles. The summer I spent backpacking through Southeast Asia I came across these salads quite a bit at outdoor street markets and restaurants. Whether you’re chowing down on hot noodle soups and blistering curries or just eating some grilled chicken skewers, a simple carrot salad is quite the refreshing thing to have on the side.

Not to say that this salad isn’t a tinge spicy. Along with lime juice, honey, brown sugar, and fish sauce, I add a bit of chili garlic sauce (this is my go-to brand), which you can also leave out. It’s a very tart salad balanced with the savory, earthy fish sauce and sweetness from the sugar and honey. And the salad is perfect for days when it’s way too nice to spend indoors cooking for very long.

___________________________

Asian Carrot and Mint Salad

Serves 4 as an appetizer

1 pound carrots, peeledJuice from 2 small limes1 tablespoon fish sauce1/2 tablespoon honey1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar1 generous handful fresh mint1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanutsShred the carrots with the largest setting on a box grater. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, fish sauce, honey, chili garlic sauce, and brown sugar until the honey and sugar are dissolved.In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the lime juice mixture and mint. Top off with the chopped peanuts and serve.

View the original article here

Asian-Style Peanut Butter Carrot Salad

About two years ago, when I was in the midst of recipe-testing for my cookbook, I was looking for ideas for cold appetizers for lunch or dinner. I was doing a lot of stir-frying at the time and just wanted something quick with Asian flavors that I could just toss together. The result was this Asian-stye peanut butter carrot salad, inspired by a classic French dish.

This appetizer was inspired by the carottes râpées I had bookmarked from David Lebovitz a while back. Unlike American salads, this one is not ashamed to feature its one key ingredient without any other vegetables to share in the spotlight. Here, the carrot shreds are bigger, and instead of parsley, olive oil, and lemon, I modified the sauce for my cold sesame noodles to have the carrots coated with a slightly tangy peanut butter sauce.

But the spirit of the salad is still the same. You can eat them as a proper dinner appetizer or have them as a late night snack. You can use a fork when others are watching, or, when alone, just swipe them out of the bowl with your hands.

“I do know sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than a simple pile of grated raw carrots, lightly dressed,” says David. I couldn’t agree more.

_______________________________

Peanut Butter Carrot Salad

Serves 4 as an appetizer

5 or 6 large carrots3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter2 tablespoons water2 tablespoons cider vinegar1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce1/2 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon chili sauce1/2 teaspoon sesame oil1 scallion, chopped

1. Peel and julienne the carrots (you can do this with a knife or a julienne peeler, one of my favorite kitchen tools).

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and water until smooth. Stir in the cider vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and sesame oil. (You can whisk everything at once, but separating the steps helps prevent the liquid from splashing too much.)

3. Toss the carrots with the peanut butter mixture until the carrots are evenly coated (ideally, they should be lightly dressed, not swimming in peanut butter sauce). Top with scallions and serve.

Recipe first posted May 10, 2011. Revised Jan. 6, 2013.

_______________________________

You might also like:

Tagged as: Appetizers, Asian, Carrot, Recipes, Vegetarian

View the original article here

Best Ever Carrot Cake For Tatum

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Best Ever Carrot Cake For Tatum

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

One of my favorite root vegetables is carrot. I love carrot in my soups, drinks (carrot juice), so it’s no surprise that I love carrot cake, even though the idea of adding carrots to a cake is somewhat bizarre, but carrot cake is a good cake. My contributor Pick Yin at Life is Great is here to share her carrot cake recipe, topped with a rich and decadent maple cream cheese frosting. Just the name alone is mouthwatering enough. Check it out!

Carrot cake…who knew I’d love it?

When I first announced to Vijay that I’d make some soon, he asked “The white one or the black one?” – referring to the Chinese fried radish cake rather than this baked cake frosted with cream cheese. He knew I’m not that girl who’d put a root vegetable and a cake together and I’d sooner turn a bunch of carrots into a pot of soup before considering them in a healthy dessert…

However, with more than a handful of friends professing themselves as carrot cake fans and Bee listing it as something she’d like to see featured here, it was imminent that I’d be baking one and eating some. There’s a first time for everything in life, so with not much reference or recommended recipes to fall on, I studied a few recipes and adapted what I thought were the best elements from each to come up with a carrot cake I really didn’t want to share.

The base recipe is from no other than my favorite celebration cake lady. Deb’s cakes had never failed me. I wanted a smooth crumbed cake—no chunky bits of nuts or fruits in my cake, please—one that’s packed with flavor, yet moist and preferably melt in my mouth, along with an exceptional frosting. I was pleased that my adaptation worked out really well. It took some will power on my behalf to refrain from cutting into the cake layers as they cooled. I resorted to snacking on what little crumbs that were falling off the cooling racks instead.

Carrot cake die-hards would each have their own favorites but the best thing about this carrot cake is you can alter it to your preference. Don’t like pineapples? Use some apple sauce instead. George Calombaris’s mother used apricot jam in hers. You won’t really taste any of the fruit but the flavor and texture of the cake would be greatly improved. Don’t have walnuts? Use pecans, macadamias or even cashews.

There isn’t really a recipe set in stone when it comes to a carrot cake. There’s only a favorite. I hope this version of mine would be yours too.

(Click Page 2 for the Carrot Cake Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

Tagged as: Butter • Carrot • Flour

View the original article here

Peanut Butter Carrot Salad

Lately, things have been pretty hectic here at Appetite for China. Recipe-testing for the cookbook is still in full force, and I have been finding myself eating 3 lunches a day. (Oof.) The site is also undergoing a much-needed redesign…nothing fancy, just a nice clean layout that’ll hopefully make reading and searching for recipes easier. In a couple of weeks I’ll also be at BlogHer Food 2011 in Atlanta, speaking on a panel called Off the Dish: Writing about Food in Travel, History, and Experience with Garrett McCord, Donna Pierce, and Amelia Pane Schaffner. It looks to be a pretty great line-up of events, and I will try my best to refrain from saying Hotlanta out loud at any point.

Speaking of hot, New York finally got a nice dose of spring weather after a pretty chilly April. A few nights ago my apartment got so warm that I started panicking about the narrow windows in my bedroom that can’t accomodate any normal air-conditioner. Will I just suffocate come July and August, when 90 degree days and 100% humidity become the norm? Is putting a bag of ice in front of a powerful fan really an adequate and practical alternative for falling asleep on muggy evenings? If I attempted to build this copper-wire “portable air conditioner, would I lose a finger?

I ended up spending the most of the night looking up actual portable air conditioners (pricey!) and trying to picture how they are hooked up. Tubes through the window? Big tanks of water? I was never meant to be an engineer. A trip to Home Depot this weekend to look at floor models is in order.

Until then, I will continue to toss together cold dinners. (It’s also a nice break from stir-frying, which I do every day for lunch/recipe-testing.) This appetizer was inspired by the carottes râpées I had bookmarked from David Lebovitz a while back. The carrot shreds are bigger, and instead of parsley, olive oil, and lemon, I modified the sauce for my cold sesame noodles to have the carrots coated with a peanut buttery and tart sauce. But the spirit of the salad is still the same. You can eat them as a proper dinner appetizer or have them as a late night snack. You can use a fork when others are watching, or, when alone, just swipe them out of the bowl with your hands.

“I do know sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than a simple pile of grated raw carrots, lightly dressed,” says David. I couldn’t agree more.

_______________________________

Peanut Butter Carrot Salad

Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings

4 to 5 carrots
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 scallion, chopped

1. Peel and julienne the carrots.

2. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the peanut butter and water until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, cider vinegar, sugar, chili sauce, and sesame oil. (You can whisk everything at once, but separating the steps helps prevent the liquid from splashing too much.)

3. Toss the carrots with the peanut butter mixture until the carrots are evenly coated. Top with scallions and serve.

_______________________________

More vegetarian recipes to try:

Cold Sesame Noodles

Chinese Tea Eggs

Sichuan Cucumber Salad

Tofu Almond Salad Bowl

Gobi Manchurian

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Cherry Tomatoes

Baked Eggs with Saffron and Cumin

Tagged as: Appetizers, Recipes, Vegetarian

View the original article here

Peanut Butter Carrot Salad

Lately, things have been pretty hectic here at Appetite for China. Recipe-testing for the cookbook is still in full force, and I have been finding myself eating 3 lunches a day. (Oof.) The site is also undergoing a much-needed redesign...nothing fancy, just a nice clean layout that'll hopefully make reading and searching for recipes easier. In a couple of weeks I'll also be at BlogHer Food 2011 in Atlanta, speaking on a panel called Off the Dish: Writing about Food in Travel, History, and Experience with Garrett McCord, Donna Pierce, and Amelia Pane Schaffner. It looks to be a pretty great line-up of events, and I will try my best to refrain from saying Hotlanta out loud at any point.

Speaking of hot, New York finally got a nice dose of spring weather after a pretty chilly April. A few nights ago my apartment got so warm that I started panicking about the narrow windows in my bedroom that can't accomodate any normal air-conditioner. Will I just suffocate come July and August, when 90 degree days and 100% humidity become the norm? Is putting a bag of ice in front of a powerful fan really an adequate and practical alternative for falling asleep on muggy evenings? If I attempted to build this copper-wire "portable air conditioner, would I lose a finger?

I ended up spending the most of the night looking up actual portable air conditioners (pricey!) and trying to picture how they are hooked up. Tubes through the window? Big tanks of water? I was never meant to be an engineer. A trip to Home Depot this weekend to look at floor models is in order.

Until then, I will continue to toss together cold dinners. (It's also a nice break from stir-frying, which I do every day for lunch/recipe-testing.) This appetizer was inspired by the carottes râpées I had bookmarked from David Lebovitz a while back. The carrot shreds are bigger, and instead of parsley, olive oil, and lemon, I modified the sauce for my cold sesame noodles to have the carrots coated with a peanut buttery and tart sauce. But the spirit of the salad is still the same. You can eat them as a proper dinner appetizer or have them as a late night snack. You can use a fork when others are watching, or, when alone, just swipe them out of the bowl with your hands.

"I do know sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than a simple pile of grated raw carrots, lightly dressed," says David. I couldn't agree more.  

_______________________________

Peanut Butter Carrot Salad

Makes 4 to 6 appetizer servings

4 to 5 carrots
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 scallion, chopped

1. Peel and julienne the carrots.

2. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the peanut butter and water until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, cider vinegar, sugar, chili sauce, and sesame oil. (You can whisk everything at once, but separating the steps helps prevent the liquid from splashing too much.)

3. Toss the carrots with the peanut butter mixture until the carrots are evenly coated. Top with scallions and serve.

_______________________________

More vegetarian recipes to try:

Cold Sesame Noodles

Chinese Tea Eggs

Sichuan Cucumber Salad

Tofu Almond Salad Bowl

Gobi Manchurian

Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Cherry Tomatoes

Baked Eggs with Saffron and Cumin

View the original article here