Sarah Joy Albrecht » Recipes & Cooking

“I am Assassin’s Creed II” said Leah, over Pork Mango Picadillo.

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:42:59 +0000

If you ask Leah what she wants to be when she grows up, she’ll still tell you she wants to be an assassin.

Recently, on the xBox360, Tom and the boys have been playing Assassin’s Creed II.In it, Ezio, the assassin, has a poisoned blade he uses to poke targets. They die moments later, after he is long gone.

While I was making Elise Bauer’s Pork Mango Picadillo this evening, Leah snuck up on me and pricked me with her homemade poisoned blade, fashioned by Aiden out of masking tape and a chopstick. “Tsss!” she hissed, and then ran into the other room announcing, “Hey guys, I poisoned mom and she will be dying soon!”

To which, I screamed, grasping at my throat and falling to the floor, “HEY! Who is going to cook for you… aaaaaaaaaahhh!!! I’m dying!!!!!”

Apparently the promise of not killing me only applied to being mauled to death by tigers.

If it wasn’t for her bringing me back to life with her kisses, I’d still be dead and you wouldn’t be reading this. (Nope. Still dead. See? I can only open one eye!)

As she sat at my table eating her scrumptious dinner, poison blade still attached, she declared, “”Mom, the aliens in Mars Attacks said (alien voice and all) “‘We come in peace, we come in peace.’ But, they KILLED everyone so they’re LIARS!”

She’ll be different, of course.

She will only tell the truth as she kills people.

“I am Assassin’s Creed II,” Leah said, non-nonchalantly pointing to her contraption with her fork, as if I hadn’t noticed or remembered what it felt like to be poisoned.

“Even assassins need to eat their dinner,” I said as seriously as possible, hoping she didn’t notice me snickering into my armpit! I didn’t have to remind her twice, though. It was gone.

She wanted seconds.

So, I’ve eaten two plates of Pork Mango Picadillo… um… and a few bites right from the pot. Make this and you may just have some interesting dinner conversation, like we did. Then, stop over to Simply Recipes and tell Elise how amazing she is! You can also follow her (personal tweets) on Twitter @simplyrecipes and again at @recipeupdates (recipe feed).

“I am Assassin’s Creed II” said Leah, over Pork Mango Picadillo.

Favorite Crêpe Batter Recipe / Nutella, Bananas and the Cthulhu Crêpe Monster

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Mon, 24 May 2010 12:47:15 +0000

Last-of-the-Batter Turned Crêpe Monster!

This weekend, we had a lovely brunch together. Everyone helped to make Banana Nutella Crêpes. While we worked, in true homeschooler fashion, we talked about Henry Ford, assembly lines and efficiency. We also passed around the Cthulhu Crêpe Monster – the result of the last slosh of batter in the pan that seemed to take on a personality of its own.

(Banana Nutella Crêpes served with a delicious Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier make for a well-balanced breakfast!)

Favorite Classic Crêpe Batter Recipe

1 C milk
4 eggs
1 C flour
1/2 TSP salt
1 1/2 TB melted butter

Mix until smooth.
Let rest for 30 minutes (this is the key!) before use.

Dessert Crêpe Batter: Prepare Classic Crêpe Batter and add 2 TB sugar and 2 TB liqueur.

Chocolate Crêpe Batter: Prepare Dessert Crêpe Batter with flour reduced to 3/4 C and add 3TB cocoa powder.

Thomas Slices Bananas

Micah Places Bananas on a Thin Layer of Nutella

Tabitha's on Nutella duty

The Crêpe Tasters

Aiden is Attacked by the Crêpe Monster

Favorite Crêpe Batter Recipe / Nutella, Bananas and the Cthulhu Crêpe Monster

Easy Dessert Recipe: White Chocolate & Banana Chip Strawberries

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 04:38:50 +0000

Spring is here! It’s strawberry season! My Bananaberries recipe is being featured on Lifehack this month.

In my Lifehack article, you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos, tips for finding the perfect berries, and a streamlined process complete with a mise en place guide to help you make this recipe in just a few minutes flat.

Bananaberries are the perfect dessert to bring to potlucks and picnics because they are an easy-to-eat finger food… not to mention they are lovely to behold and add an air of elegance to the table.

I invite you to make a batch for yourself… and leave a comment about how insanely delicious they taste! Don’t forget to share them with your friends!

Easy Dessert Recipe: White Chocolate & Banana Chip Strawberries

Boneless Ice Cream

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:09:16 +0000

“Hey! This ice cream is boneless!” - Leah, age 3, on eating vanilla ice cream.

Think the child eats enough fish?

Photo Credit: Jessicafm via Flickr

Boneless Ice Cream

Roast Beef

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:16:28 +0000

Roast Beef.

Dry-brined. Rotisserie roasted to 120F; serving temp 132F. Sliced with a ceramic knife.

Roast Beef

January Giveaway : Learning Perseverance From Making Tamagoyaki

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:45:22 +0000

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! – Children’s Proverb

One of the hardest things to teach children is to try again when they’ve failed their first attempts at doing something. Failure is often met with tears and protests. Tying shoes, snapping fingers, blowing bubblegum bubbles, riding a two-wheeler without training wheels, and learning the nines-family in multiplication are some of the recent examples that come to mind.

How exciting it is, though, when a child finally succeeds! They are so excited, they want to keep getting it right over and over and over….. well, you know what it’s like to hear a kid whistling the same prolonged note until you have to politely ask them to go outside and see if the birds can understand their new skill :)

Making tamagoyaki, a sweet, rolled Japanese style omelet used for breakfasts and bento, is a skill I haven’t mastered. I haven’t attempted enough times to be comfortable making it for guests, but I’ll get there! I always seem to get impatient and turn the burner up too high when I make eggs.

Representing perseverance in this month’s five-item giveaway is the bane of my existence : a 18×12 cm makiyakinabe or the “roll-bake-pan”. These deceptively cute little pans are coveted by Japanese foodies as they prove to be tricky to find in the States. This one is coated with a dark, non-stick coating. I’m also including a two-set pack of 33cm bamboo Japanese Kitchen chopsticks, two floral linen pot gloves and an adorable cotton pocket apron. At least you’ll look cute while you flop… I mean flip…. those omelets! (I’m not bitter…. really!)

To enter, in the comments of this post, please leave a story about perseverance or thoughts on encouraging others to keep trying when they feel like giving up. You must leave a pertinent comment to win!

My hope is that this giveaway will help others to keep trying whatever it is they are working on, be it making new food, learning a language, trying to pass an important test, getting published or even persevering in grace through a difficult relationship.

NEW!! Up to three bonus entries:

Want to improve your chances of winning? Add these skills to your giveaway repertoire :

Add SarahJoyAlbrecht.com your blogroll and leave the link to your blog with your comment

Write a post about this giveaway and leave the link to your post with your comment

Tweet about this giveaway (via @mrsalbrecht) and mention it with your comment

Please leave your comment and complete bonus entries by 9PM EST, February 3, 2010.

The winner will need to provide their mother’s maiden name, social security number, and a valid US credit card number + three digit secret code. JUST KIDDING! I will, however, need their name and mailing address which will be kept strictly confidential.

If they’re agreeable, I’d like to interview the winner and feature them in a future post. I would consider including links in the post to the winner’s blog, favorite cause, home business, etc.

Winning contestants may not enter my subsequent monthly giveaway contests for a year following their win. In other words, if you win in February, 2010, you cannot enter again until February, 2011.

From Christine, last month’s giveaway winner: Thank you, so much, Sarah, for the origami paper and books! We are having a blast with it. I am so glad that you included book number one because that is about as advanced as my origami skills are. ;) Maybe one day I will advance to book #6. Thank you, again, so much for the great fun you sent us and for praying for my baby! I hope you are having a blessed day!

January Giveaway : Learning Perseverance From Making Tamagoyaki

Drying Alton Brown’s Beef Jerky : Off-Label Use of Lego Duplo Blocks

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:53:32 +0000

Alton Brown’s beef jerky recipe is my all time favorite. I’ve been making it for a few years now. It takes a steady hand and lots of patience to slice up the meat evenly (I usually make 6lb batches), but it’s so worth the time it takes to prepare.

The most delicious batch I made was with venison. The meat was so deep-red and lean. It sliced beautifully. Veins of fat in the meat can cause jerky to go rancid at a quicker rate — so the leaner the meat, the better.

Instead of using air filters, I modify Alton’s drying contraption by using metal grid cookie cooling racks. I found that the four-knob square Duplo blocks fit perfectly in the holes of the racks, allowing me to stack the racks with a perfect amount of space in between. The knobs fit into the holes in the grid, stabilizing the racks.

I like putting an empty rack on the top to keep little fingers from touching the meat before it dries… because the spiced meat aroma is inebriating and, without the deterrent, the jerky gets sampled unwittingly.

Using plastic wrap, I enclose the sides of the racks and weigh the flyaway edges with butter knives. The cookie racks are slightly smaller than the box fan, so I cover the gap with kitchen towels. I tuck the ends of the towels slightly underneath the bottom rack. These barriers force the air to go up and out through the drying racks, making the most efficient use of the airflow.

Warning: The following recipe makes the most delicious, addictive beef jerky you will ever taste. Make it at your own risk.

Alton Brown’s Beef Jerky

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
* 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
* 2/3 cup soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Special Equipment: 1 box fan, 4 paper air-conditioning filters, and 2 bungee cords

Directions

Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.

Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.

Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.

Some books from my home library you might enjoy:

Drying Alton Brown’s Beef Jerky : Off-Label Use of Lego Duplo Blocks

October Giveaway: Japanese Obento Set

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:43:10 +0000

(NOTE: “Obento” is the word “bento” with the “o” honorific. Either usage is fine in casual conversation, although I noticed that women use the “o” honorific more frequently than men do. I’m still learning all this language stuff, so if anyone would care to set the record straight, please do so!)

October’s giveaway is pretty nifty, if I do say so myself. (Sorry for the delay in posting – I was looking for a punch to make cute little faces with food (nori, lunch meat, thinly sliced veggies, etc.), and found a set of punches yesterday at the Great Superstore! This giveaway just wouldn’t have been complete without them! The face-maker isn’t in the original pic, but it’s included at the bottom of the photo stack for your viewing pleasure.

One of my favorite characteristics of Japanese culture is the careful attention to how things are presented to, and therefore experienced by, the intended recipient. Appealing to as many senses as possible is key and food presentation is no exception. There is no such things as boring ‘brown bagging’ here. Instead, bento, or portable food is somewhat of an art form. Aisles are dedicated to lunchbox embellishments that appeal both to the eye and palate.

Here are some favorite links for bento eye candy, how-to sites and thoughts on aesthetics in Japanese culture:

Japanese Lunch Boxes – Kids Web Japan

Just Bento: Bento Basics

Adventures in Bento Making

(Oct. 19 Update) NY Times | Beauty and the Art of the Bento Box

Now imagine making and eating your own cute creations with these:

So…. you want to win this awesome bento set?

Recently, I took a cooking poll of my readers on how they learned to cook. Ten people answered that they were self taught, versus being taught by a parent.

When asked about the importance of teaching children to cook, seventeen answered that they “see teaching cooking as part of nurturing children.”

Continuing with this thought, in order to win, please leave a comment to this post with your tips or encouraging thoughts on teaching children how to prepare food. You don’t have to be a parent to share the best idea you’ve heard or maybe an example of you cooking with someone else’s children and how you made it fun.

Maybe you have a tip on teaching a child a cooking concept – like cracking eggs. Perhaps, you have special kid-decorated aprons for each of your children. Or, maybe you’d like to share a heart to heart conversation you had about life over making brownies. Inquiring minds want to know!

From the list of comments (and yes, you have to make a comment in order to qualify!) my children will draw the winning name.

BONUS: If you mention this giveaway in your blog (send me a “proof” link) or Tweet (via @mrsalbrecht), you will get ONE extra entry. (C’mon! I know some of you get a little carried away with this stuff and I can’t keep track of THAT many tiny pieces of paper!!) PLEASE do me a small favor and post a “proof link” or copy of Tweet so I’m sure to not to miss your extra-entry qualification. (Thanks!)

My hope is that this giveaway will inspire you to help children learn to cook, and maybe, if you’re lucky, even to eat their now-cute rice and veggies!

Please leave your comment by 9PM EST, Friday, October 30th.

If they’re agreeable, I’d like to interview the winner and feature them in a future post. I would consider including links in the post to the winner’s blog, favorite cause, home business, etc.

Winning contestants may not enter my subsequent monthly giveaway contests for a year following their win. In other words, if you win in October, 2009, you can’t enter again until October, 2010.

October Giveaway: Japanese Obento Set

Saturday Afternoon Children’s Poems

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:02:24 +0000

My friend Anne shared some children’s poems with me today, so I thought I’d post them for keeps. Imagine! Enjoy!

Pipes and Drums

A little Pixie Piper went
A-piping through the glens;
Some folks who heard him thought his notes
A robin’s or a wren’s.

“How late to hear a robin sing
It must be nearly ten!
(The Pixie Piper chuckled and
Went piping down the glen.)

If it wasn’t quite a robin’s note,
fancy ’twas a wren
(The Pixie Piper chuckled and
Went piping down the glen.)

If we’d been there we might have made
The same mistakes ourselves;
The only folks who knew the truth
Were Goblins, Gnomes, and Elves.

The Pixies sought their pixie pipes
The Goblins fetched their drums
The Gnomes and Elves called everywhere,
“The Pixie Piper comes!”

He led them slowly through the town
And slowly back again
Some folks who heard them thought the drums
Were raindrops on the pane.

And, as the Goblin band drew near,
Cried, “Listen to the hail!”
(The Goblin drummers chuckled and
Went drumming down the dale.)

Be careful, pray, the next wet day,
To make quite sure yourselves,
The patter’s really raindrops not
The drums of drumming Elves.

-Lilian Holmes from the “The Golden Flute An Anthology Of Poetry For Young And Children”

The Second-Hand Shop

Down in the grasses
Where the grasshoppers hop
And the katydids quarrel
And the flutter-moths flop -
Down in the grasses
Where the beetle goes “plop,”
An old withered fairy
Keeps a second-hand shop.

She sells lost thimbles
For fairy milk pails
And burnt-out matches
For fence posts and rails.
She sells stray marbles
To bowl on the green,
And bright scattered beads
For the crown of the queen.

Oh, don’t feel badly
Over things that you lose
Like spin tops or whistles
Or doll’s buckled shoes;
They may be the things that
Fairy folk can use,
For down in the grasses
where the grasshoppers hop
A withered old fairy
Keeps a second-hand shop.
-Rowena Bennett

Photo credit: Fairy Pumpkin House by Tinyfroglet via Flickr

Saturday Afternoon Children’s Poems

Cooking Poll: How Did You Learn to Cook?

Sarah Joy Albrecht — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:16:03 +0000

Mundelein, IL, My grandma Jean and her sister. She apparently had a suitcase of pills. Yeah, that's what doctors did for stressed out, suburban housewives in the 50s. - whatchumean via Flickr

Cooking Poll: How Did You Learn to Cook?

Sarah Joy Albrecht » Recipes & Cooking

“I am Assassin’s Creed II” said Leah, over Pork Mango Picadillo.

Related Posts

Favorite Crêpe Batter Recipe / Nutella, Bananas and the Cthulhu Crêpe Monster

Related Posts

Easy Dessert Recipe: White Chocolate & Banana Chip Strawberries

Related Posts

Boneless Ice Cream

Related Posts

Roast Beef

Related Posts

January Giveaway : Learning Perseverance From Making Tamagoyaki

Related Posts

Drying Alton Brown’s Beef Jerky : Off-Label Use of Lego Duplo Blocks

Related Posts

October Giveaway: Japanese Obento Set

Related Posts

Saturday Afternoon Children’s Poems

Related Posts

Cooking Poll: How Did You Learn to Cook?

Related Posts