banana bread

I accidentally bought fat free cottage cheese at the grocery store at the beginning of the week. There is a great difference in flavor between fat free and low fat cottage cheese. I love the flavor of low fat cottage cheese but I find it slightly more difficult to eat the fat free version by itself. To offset my mistake, I decided to make Banana Bread to add into my fat free version of my bedtime snack.

Some of you may be saying, "Sean, don't you know eating right before you go to sleep makes you fat?" Cottage cheese is low in calories (80 - 100 calories per 0.5 cup) , low in fat (the 1 - 2% variety) and high in casein protein. Casein protein is digested slower and over an extended period of time and allows for a steady supply of protein while you sleep. A staple to any weight lifter's diet and a perfect nighttime snack for everyone, especially people trying to lose weight. Of course adding in a simple carb like banana bread jacks up the calorie content but a few cubes along with a 0.5 cup of cottage cheese makes for a delicious pre-bedtime meal.

Banana Bread
Original, Serves 6-8

Ingredients: (1 loaf)
- 1.5 cup AP flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 to 3 very ripe bananas (almost black)
- 1 egg
- 0.75 cup sugar
- 0.25 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.25 cup vegetable/light olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- handful of crushed walnuts (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
2) Mash bananas in another bowl with a fork or potato masher.
3) Whisk together the egg and sugars until well combined.
4) Add in vanilla extract, oil and whisk again. When incorporated well, add in yogurt. Whisk again until well combined.
5) Add in the dry ingredients to the wet in thirds. Mix until lump free but take care not to overmix.
6) Fold in crushed walnuts, if using, to the batter.
7) Grease a loaf pan and pour the batter in. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes - 1 hour. The bread is done when a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
8) Cool for at least 10 minutes before eating!

lemon souffle pancakes

There's just something special about pancakes. I don't know what it is but when I see those light, fluffy, and golden circles, it just puts a smile on my face. Sunday is the one day of the week where I believe every family should share a meal together as one. Our modern lives are so hectic and on the go that we often forget the ones who are closest to us. So if you haven't started a Sunday meal time with your loved ones, start this weekend!

I made these Lemon Pancakes for Sunday breakfast this past weekend. The lemons I'd purchased a week ago had ripened nicely and it was time to zest and juice its deliciousness. I separate the eggs (yolk and whites) and incorporate whipped egg whites to create a light and airy pancake. Top that off with a little sweetness and tartness of the lemon and you have yourself a fantastic carbohydrate for a Sunday breakfast.

Many people that I know are scared of pancakes because they fear of gaining weight and how they're "unhealthy". Yes it's a simple carb and yes it does have a higher fat content compared to sliced, wheat bread but I believe the word healthy means to eat in moderation. Everything (even butter) can be good for you in small amounts and it's perfectly okay to indulge slightly as long as portions are kept under control. Being healthy is about having a solid exercise regimen and keeping portions in check while eating.

Lemon Souffle Pancakes
Original, Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
- 2 cups AP flour, sifted
- zest of one lemon
- 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons of sugar (1 for the yolk, 1 for the whites)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted

- 2 cups of milk
- 2 eggs, separated

1) Combine the flour, zest, baking soda/powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2) Separate the eggs and whip the eggwhites (by hand or electric) with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Gradually add in the lemon juice and bring the whites to a stiff peak. Set aside.
3) In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of sugar, the milk and butter. Whisk together.
4) Combine the dry, flour mix with the yolk mix. I add in one third at a time to prevent any lumps. Take care not to overmix though, you don't want to have tough, glutenized pancakes!
5) Once your batter is lump-free and mixed, add a third of your whipped egg whites and mix into the batter.
6) Once a third of the egg whites have been mixed in, add the rest of the whipped egg whites and fold them in. Folding does NOT equal mixing. I would love to do a demo but it's really hard for me to fold and take pictures at the same time... I suggest Googling it!
7) Get your griddle or frying pan (I'd say medium-lowish heat for frying pan...always do a test pancake first!) and butter it lightly. Cook pancakes until bubbles start to appear in the middle and flip! Let cook on the other side for another minute or so. Because we folded in the egg whites, the pancakes will souflée up and expand like a hot air balloon after it's flipped!
8) Serve immediately (or place in the oven at about 200 degrees F to keep warm). I dusted powdered sugar over mine but maple syrup is always a winner with pancakes!

crab lettuce rolls w/ mango salsa

Okay, so Kevin at Closet Cooking finally convinced me to go out and buy some mangoes. After seeing about 5 fantastic mango dishes prepared by Kevin, I couldn't help but hop on the bandwagon. Today was a prime showcase of why I hate Georgia weather. It was hot, humid and just plain dreadful. This coming a day after black clouds loomed over Georgia and shot peanut sizes hails for about 2 hours. Yes, the snow in Canada sucked but at least the weather was consistent. I hate Georgia weather period.

I decided to make a Crab Lettuce Roll w/ Mango Salsa to have a light and refreshing dinner on this hot day. The sweetness of the crab and the mangoes compliment each other well and the lettuce wrap is a crisp and refreshing way to enjoy this combination. This would also do well as an appetizer or as an hors d'oeuvre. If you don't want to do a wrap, you can use a butterhead or baby gem lettuce and use them as cups. Just fill the lettuce first with the crab and then top with a little salsa.

Crab Lettuce Rolls w/ Mango Salsa
Adapted from Gordon Ramsay, Serves 4

Ingredients: (Salsa)
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 cup mangos, finely diced
- 1 red chile, finely diced
- juice of 1 lime
- bunch of cilantro, chopped (fresh coriander)

Ingredients: (Crab Mix - adjust accordingly)
- about 1 cup crab meat
- 1.5 tablespoon mayonaise
- 0.5 tablespoon coarse mustard
- little bunch of cilantro, chopped
- juice of half a lime

1) Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix together. The vegetables and mango dices should relatively be about the same size. Season lightly with salt and pepper and adjust seasonings as needed after tasting. Chill in the fridge until use.
2) Combine the ingredients for the crab mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3) Place crab meat mixture at one end of the lettuce and roll tightly (like a big cigar or preparing to chiffonade)
4) To serve: place a little salsa on the bottom of the plate and place the crab rolls on top, seamside down. Spoon a little more salsa on top of the rolls and serve cool.

If you find crab meat too strong of a flavor, you can substitute for imitation crab meat. I haven't tried these with cooked shrimp but I think that would work well also as shrimp tends to be slightly sweet.

goat cheese salad w/ apple vinaigrette

I hate to say goodbye but I have to stay realistic... the season for apples is coming to a bittersweet ending. Prices in supermarkets for apples have gone up slightly and maybe I'm being superstitious but they just don't taste as yummy as they did in the fall. With what little apples I had left around the house, I decided to make my apple pancakes and this warm Goat Cheese Salad w/ Apple Vinaigrette.

The tart/sweetness of the apple vinaigrette goes well with the tangy goatish (yes I made that word up) flavor of the cheese. If you're getting bored with your usual weekday salads, give this one a try. It can be prepared in about 10 minutes and it's a delicious way to get your vitamins/fiber in!

Goat Cheese Salad w/ Apple Vinaigrette
From Gordon Ramsay's Cookalong Live, Serves 4

Ingredients: (Salad)
- 4 individual soft, goat cheese, or a roll of goat cheese that you can portion out
- Iceberg lettuce or Romaines, washed and chopped
- 0.25 - 0.33 cup walnuts
- 4 slices of bread

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2) On a baking tray, place the goat cheese, season lightly with pepper, top with a few walnuts and drizzle olive oil over the cheese. I didn't have fresh thyme on hand, but some thyme leaves garnished over the top enhances the flavor even more!

**If you're using a roll (is that the correct terminology?) of goat cheese, heat your knife before cutting the goat cheese into individual portions. The heated knife allows for an easier, straighter, cleaner cut and adds a nice gloss to the cheese vs. if you sliced it w/ a cold knife**

3) Place in the oven and bake for about 5 - 7 minutes. The cheese should still by cylindrical but melted inside. Make vinaigrette in the meantime.

Ingredients: (Vinaigrette)
- juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 Granny Smith (the green one) apple, grated

4) Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and whisk.
5) Add vinaigrette to the chopped salad and toss to coat vinaigrette evenly.
6) Add in the remaining walnuts, crushed, and toss once more.
7) Toast the bread and cut out the crumb (inside) with a circle cutter.
8) Assembly: Salad on the bottom of the plate, crouton (toast) in the middle of the salad, warm goat cheese on top of the toast and finally, drizzle a little bit of the vinaigrette over the goat cheese. Serve warm.

eggs benedict

I never knew how fast someone's passion can fade away until I experienced it first hand the last few days. Not a lot of students go into pharmacy school wanting to do retail but I actually didn't mind (and somewhat enjoyed) working for the chains. I started my "experience" program last Wednesday for an independent, retail pharmacy and my time there so far has been torture. It's been so rough that I think I would rather turn vegetarian than work at a place like that for the rest of my life.

Bad events are like embers and if they aren't contained, they grow bigger and bigger. I started thinking about the most random things during rest between sets at the gym. Is this path the right one for me? Do I swallow my pride and prevent sinking down to a pitiful level? What will I cook for dinner tomorrow?

Fortunately, I spoke to my mentor/pharmacist over the phone yesterday and it really helped me get things into perspective. You have to make the best of your given situation and find something positive (if not make up something) to stay strong. This experience has given me a better insight into what I don't want to become and how I have been taking some things for granted. My true friends have also kept me strong, offering counsel and advice and I'm so thankful I have them in my life.

If there's one thing I doubt will fade away even during the toughest of times is my love for food. I like making it, eating it and learning about it. Gene from Eat, Drink, Man... wrote me such an inspirational comment that it's strengthened my respect for food even more. I'm so glad that I was able to find his blog. Please go visit him and say hello.

Everyone (or should) loves an Eggs Benedict. A delicious English muffin topped with Canadian bacon, poached egg and served over a velvety Hollandaise sauce... Don't be intimidated by the ingredients and the sauce. It's extremely simple and a delicious way to spend a Sunday breakfast/brunch with the family.

Eggs Benedict
Originally by Me, Serves 4

Ingredients: (Sauce)
- 2 sticks of butter, melted
- 3 egg yolks
- fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- pinch of salt

1) Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl until the mixture thickens and expands in volume.
2) Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan/pan. Keep it under low heat, you don't want to brown the butter (beurre noisette for another time...)
3) Over a double boiler (bain marie), continue to whisk the egg/lemon juice mixture. Slowly, drip in the melted butter and continue whisking. The mixture will almost double in volume. Don't drip in too much butter at once as this will scramble the eggs and you'll have to start ALL OVER AGAIN. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the simmering water.
4) Once doubled in volume, remove from heat and add a pinch of cayenne and salt to the sauce. Whisk and set aside for use. If the mixture gets too thick by the time you're ready to use it, you can add a little warm water to thin out the sauce.

Ingredients: (Eggs Benedict)
- 4 large eggs
- 4 slices Canadian bacon
- 2 English muffins, halved
- Hollandaise sauce made from above
- Fresh parsley or chives

1) In simmering water (I used the same simmering water I used for my sauce), add a splash of vinegar and make a whirlpool. Think fast, furious whirlpool that you see in sci-fi movies.
2) Crack eggs into ramekins or small bowls. Do not break the yolks. Once you have your whirlpool spinning, drop the eggs in the direction the whirlpool is going in. Poach eggs for about 2 - 2.5 minutes. Remove and cool in ice water to prevent from overcooking.
3) While this is going on, toast the English muffins and fry/broil the Canadian bacon.
4) Assemble: English muffin on bottom, Canadian bacon next, poached egg (dip back into simmering water briefly to warm), spoon over Hollandiase sauce and finish with finely chopped parsley or chives. Break open the yolk and enjoy your breakfast.

chicken piccata

I've been on a chicken craze this week and next up on my to cook list was Chicken Piccata. Chicken piccata is an Italian chicken dish that's made with scaloppines, capers, lemon and white wine. It's quite a light cutlet but the saltiness of the capers, the zestiness of the lemons and the richness of the butter goes together brilliantly. It's a very simple dish that can be put together pretty quickly.

The only downside to this dish? I absolutely hate doing the dishes afterwards. Coating the chicken breasts in flour = 1 more extra dish to clean. If someone comes up/knows a way of making cutlets with minimizing the dishwashing afterwards, please e-mail me ASAP!

Chicken Piccata
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian, Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half
- 3 - 4 tablespoons AP flour for dredging
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- fresh juice from 2 lemons
- 0.333 cup white wine
- 0.5 cup chicken stock
- 0.25 cup capers, rinsed and drained
- bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

1) Season the butterflied and halved chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and set aside.
2) In a pan/skillet, heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Don't brown the butter, the temperature should be at about medium-high. When the butter and olive oil starts to sizzle, add the chicken breasts and cook about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed (adding more olive oil & butter PRN, as needed) and remove the cooked chicken to a plate.
3) Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
4) Add lemon juice, capers and chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a boil and taste. Adjust seasonings.
5) Return the chicken breasts back to the pan and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes more until the chicken breasts are completely cooked through.
6) Remove chicken onto serving dishes and add 2 tablespoons of butter to the sauce. Shake the butter into the sauce.
7) Spoon the sauce over the chicken breasts and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
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I'll be in agony for the next 3 weeks with these rotations. I have never worked in a pharmacy so unorganized and dirty as the one I'm at now. I'm not a quitter so I won't complain until the final evaluation but I have to say my first day wasn't a positive one. Hopefully cooking will keep me sane for the next 3 weeks...

spicy korean chicken wings

Spicy Korean Chicken Wings. They're sweet, spicy and so, so delicious. They're different from the traditional hot wings in the sense that it's spicy but the spiciness doesn't completely overwhelm your taste buds so you can still taste the sweetness of the sauce.

You could go out to your nearest K-Town (Korea Town) and buy some Korean fried chicken (KFC) for about $20. Or...you could make a hugggeee stack for about $15. I'm almost confident we ended up with over a 100 wings.

The wings are first bathed in milk for 1.5 - 2 hours. The theory to this madness? It gets rid of that chicken/poultry smell and leaves you with an incredibly tender chicken. The wings are double fried before being covered in the sweet & spicy sauce to give it an extra crunch. Is the trouble of deep frying worth it you ask? Yes.

Spicy Korean Chicken Wings
Original, Serving Depends on # of Wings

Ingredients:
- chicken wings (obviously)
- enough milk to bathe the wings
- Tapioca starch, enough to dredge (corn starch can be substituted)

Sweet & Spicy Sauce: (enough to cover about 20 wings)
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 heaping tablespoon of gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper) (cayenne cannot be substituted... it's not the same)

- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons corn/glucose syrup
- pinch of sugar, or to taste

1) Take the chicken wings out of the package and rinse under cold water. Put the chicken wings in a big bowl and add enough milk to submerge the chicken. Leave for 1.5 - 2 hours turning the wings once during that time span.
2) Drain the chicken wings from the milk and return to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Get the oil in a deep fryer/wok heating up.
3) Dredge the chicken wings with tapioca starch until evenly coated. You can find tapioca starch in your Asian supermarkets or whole food stores.
4) When the oil is hot enough, fry the chicken wings in batches. About 3 - 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain the fried chicken wings on paper towels.
5) Let the chicken wings rest for about 10 minutes. The wings shouldn't be greasy anymore and cooled. If not, rest for a bit longer. Deep fry the fried chicken wings again for another 2 - 4 minutes or until they take on a darker, gold color. (This makes the chicken wings really crispy but still moist inside. If you fry these right after the primary fry without drying, they'll just become soggy and disgusting)
6) Drain the chicken wings on paper towels and make the marinade. Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
7) Add chicken wings to the big bowl and pour the sauce over the wings. Coat the wings evenly and serve immediately on serving platter. Garnish with crushed, roasted peanuts and start the feast.

filet mignon w/ mushroom gratin

Filet of beef. It's so tender and juicy...just melts in your mouth! Combine the juiciness of the steak with wild mushrooms and Parmesan cheese and you have yourself a party for 1 in your taste buds.

This Filet Mignon w/ Mushroom Gratin is too delicious to describe so you're going to have to experience it for yourselves. I can guarantee though that this will fix most of life's social problems (but actually hurts in the $ department). Need to make up for forgetting an anniversary? Make the steak. Flunked a test badly? Eat the steak and you'll be in food coma. Want to impress your date that you can cook but you really can't? Cook the steak. What if they're vegetarian?... Get a new friend/spouse :)

Filet Mignon w/ Mushroom Gratin
By Gordon Ramsay, Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 4 filet mignon
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic, unpeeled
- oyster, shitake and portabella mushrooms (just buy the mix pack from the supermarket)
- 2 - 3 tablespoons chives, chopped
- 0.25 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 4 - 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

1) Add olive oil to a pan and sweat down the shallots and garlic. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2) Add in mushroom blend, more olive oil if needed and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until mushrooms reduce in size and are browned. About 6 - 8 minutes.
3) Pour/drain the shallot, mushroom mixture to a separate bowl and remove the clove of garlic. You may not need to drain if the mushrooms absorbed enough of the olive oil
4) In a mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream until at a soft peak stage.
5) Add in egg yolk, chives and then mushrooms. Fold over until you get a nice mixture. Add in a tablespoon of the Parmesan and fold. Set aside.
6) In a hot, ovenproof pan, add olive oil and cook the filet mignons for about 2 - 3 minutes until colored on all sides.
7) When the steaks are ready, spoon the gratin mixture over the steaks and top off with the rest of the grated Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and cook for 6 - 7 minutes or until the top is browned.
8) Take the steak out, let rest for a little bit then serve.

happy easter! - apple pancakes

Easter Sunday. Aside from the religious significance of this holiday, it's a day where all families should sit together and enjoy a proper breakfast/brunch. My family started the day off with some great farm-raised eggs and these Apple Pancakes.

These are my friend Christian's favorite pancakes and they have also become a family favorite ever since I introduced them at Sunday breakfasts. The combination of cinnamon, apples and a hint of nutmeg give the pancakes an amazing flavor.
On a completely random sidenote, it's amazing how different store bought and farm raised eggs are. The farm raised yolks are perky, round and the egg whites when frying take on a completely different texture and appearance.

Apple Pancakes
Adapted from Cupcakes, Muffins & Baked Goods, Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 1.5 cup self-rising flour
- 0.25 cup sugar
- 0.25 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- small pinch of nutmeg (freshly ground if possible)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup milk (fat % doesn't matter)
- 2 apples (I used Gala but Granny Smith works really well also) cored, peeled and grated
- butter for frying

1) Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2) Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add in egg.
3) Add in the milk and fold the mixture together until lumps disappear. Do not overmix.
4) Fold in the grated apples.
5) Over a medium-low flame, butter the frying pan and add in a ladle of the pancake mix. Cook until bubbles start to pop in the middle of the pancake and then flip. Cook for 1 - 2 more minutes after flipping.
6) Serve with a little butter and drizzle over the pancakes with maple syrup. You can also sift icing sugar on top if you're looking for a sugar high.

green tea castella

Castella is a Japanese sponge cake. Absolutely delicious and I always end up getting one (as well as a red bean bread) when I go to Korean bakeries. I often use it in my baked Alaskas or trifles - it's a very versatile cake. It's not leavened by baking soda/powder or yeast but it's the eggs that act as the leavening agent.

I did a little deviation from the normal honey castella and added matcha (green tea) powder to mine. It adds a hint of green tea to the cake that doesn't overpower it with an herby taste but adds an extra, natural sweetness of the tea. Castella takes a little extra effort and time compared to other cakes to make but the end result is something quite delicious. Here is the Green Tea Castella.

Green Tea Castella
Original, Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons milk, warm (% based on preference, obviously higher the fat content the richer)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 0.75 cup AP flour
- 1 tablespoon matcha
- 4 eggs, @ room temperature
- 0.75 cup sugar

1) Add the honey to the warm milk and stir until combined. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Sift in flour and matcha until you get a well distributed, green flour mixture.

3) In a heat-proof bowl over simmering water (bain-marie), add the eggs and beat w/ an electric mixer until the eggs triple in volume and turn into a pale, creamy color.
4) Gently fold in the dry ingredients. You want to retain as much air bubbles from the eggs as possible.
5) Pour batter into a buttered pan (I used a 9' round) and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

6) After the 10 minutes, turn down the oven temperature to 280 degrees F and bake for 40 minutes more or until a skewer comes out clean in the center.
7) Cool at 15 minutes.

8) Cut into slices, dust with powder sugar and serve. I accompanied mine with some of the red bean paste I made the other day.
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I'm finally finished with school (for the year) and I'm stoked about being able to bake/cook/blog more often and in a real kitchen!

red bean puree

Red beans or better known as Azuki beans. It's a staple ingredient used in almost all Asian countries. It's used in mooncakes, pat juk (red bean soup), daifuku, ice cream, taiyaki, red bean buns and the list goes on and on. It has to be one of my favorite Asian treats and I highly recommend trying this delicacy if you haven't yet.

I use mine mostly to make red bean bread or other pastries. Here's how to make the Red Bean Purée (paste) to use it in your recipes.

Red Bean Puree
Original

Ingredients:
- 3000mL (about 12 cups) of water, plus more (PRN) as needed
- 1 cup Azuki (red) beans, washed
- 1 cup sugar

1) Wash the red beans and bring the water up to a boil.
2) Add red beans and lower temperature of water to a simmer.
3) Simmer for 1 - 1.5 hours. The red beans should absorb a lot of the water and more water may be needed to prevent scorching. Continue to simmer until the beans are tender and soft.
4) Mash the beans (there should be a little bit of the cooking liquid left still).
5) Transfer to a blender, add sugar and blitz until puréed. For a smoother texture, sieve through a strainer before transferring to the blender.

I'll be using mine to accompany a delicious, castella (kasutera). Recipe soon to follow...

chicken w/ petit pois bonne femme

Here's a quick and tasty dish that I whipped up real quick in the midst of my studying. Chicken Breast w/ Petit Pois Bonne Femme.

Bonne femme (French) translates to "good wife" and it refers to a dish done in a rustic and comforting way. You sauté onions, crisp up the bacon and add frozen peas at the end. Quick and easy. This dish has 4 ingredients and can be done in 10 - 15 minutes, maximum. Put down that phone because tonight, no delivery pizza or Chinese takeaways are going to crowd your dinner table.

The crescent moon looking thing is puff pastry cut by a cutter and cut again to make the moon shape. I had a little bit of puff pastry left over and was just finding a way to use it up. Completely unnecessary for this dish but fun!

Chicken Breast w/ Petit Pois Bonne Femme
Inspired by Gordon Ramsay, Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 strips of bacon, strips (lardons)
- 1.5 cup green peas

1) Slice bacon into lardons and cook until browned.
2) In a separate pan, add olive oil to a hot pan and cook the chicken breast. Mine took about 2-3 minutes per side because they were so thin. Alternatively, you can preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and sauté the chicken 1-2 minutes per side and pop it in the oven for about 8 minutes if you have large chicken breasts.
3) Add onions and olive oil (if needed). Season with pepper and lightly with salt. Sauté until onions are translucent.
4) Add frozen (or fresh) peas and season. Don't overdo the salt because the bacon itself is salty. Taste, taste, taste!
5) Place the pea mixture on a plate and place chicken on top. Don't slice chicken breasts like I did.

Hind sight, I regret cutting the chicken breast because it didn't stay on top of the peas too well. Presentation wise, it would've been neater and better with just the whole chicken breast. Lesson learnt for next time!

watercress soup

It always hits me at this time of year (study for finals weekend) that time goes by so fast. It seems like just last week was the first day of professional school and now, I'm getting ready to finish up 1st year and go do rotations. Only 3 more years of school and I'll officially be a RPh (pending I pass the boards)!

With that said, I should be unable to post for awhile...is what I'd like to say but I slacked off today and did a lot of cooking. On a side note, I unintentionally did a starter, main and a dessert today so stay tuned for the rest! First up is a Watercress Soup with a poached egg.

Now, this recipe is so easy that even my friend Ryne could make it seem like it was made by a 3 star chef. You can omit the bacon in this recipe but it really does take the soup to a whole different level so I really do recommend putting it in! I've tried it both with/without the bacon and the version with bacon is definitely better (and really, what isn't better w/ bacon?)

Watercress Soup
By Gordon Ramsay, Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 4 strips of bacon, cut into lardons (strips)
- approximately 75g of watercress
- 1 medium potato, sliced thin (use mandolin if on hand)
- 2.5 cups boiling water
- 4 eggs, to poach

1) Cut the bacon into lardons and sauté the bacon is browned. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a kettle.
2) Add in watercress, season with salt and pepper. Let the watercress sweat down for about 30 seconds.
3) Add in thinly sliced potatoes and the boiling water. Because the potatoes are so thin, they should cook in matter of minutes. Give it about 2 minutes or until tender.
4) Using a ladle, transfer the mixture to a blender. Don't add all of the water in. I'd say about 2 out of the 2.5 cups you started out with. You can always adjust the consistency. Remember: you can always add but you can't take away. Check seasoning after blended. It should be almost a purée like consistency.
5) Get a whirlpool going in another big pot and poach the eggs. I would like to note that taking pictures of this stage by myself is EXTREMELY difficult if not impossible so there are no pictures :(
6) Poach the eggs for about a minute or two and place in ice water to prevent it from overcooking.
7) Place the poached egg in the serving bowl and season lightly with pepper. Just add the soup from one side of the bowl and it'll travel around to the other side. Break the yolk and let it enrich the soup.
And to the new/old readers that have commented recently, thank you so much for reading! It really is inspiring to know that people enjoy reading your blog and I'll continue to do my best to update, even with school breathing behind my back.