Traditional Food for Lunch

@ Pasar Beringharjo, Yogyakarta

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Banana Seller

08.05.2010 - Ciawi, Bogor - West Java.

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Easy Bearnaise Sauce

When my daughter Kim was a little girl she would make pretend bearnaise sauce in the bathtub with her toys. She would use her "Julia Child" voice. Her idea of a kid's meal in a restaurant was either the escargots or a lobster tail. The waiter was always amazed. Later her little friend introduced her to Spaghetti-O's. I still can't smell them without gagging.

Here's an easy bearnaise sauce recipe  that doesn't require a double boiler or reducing the liquid. It's a variation of my easy hollandaise sauce (which I'll post later). It's my favorite sauce! It's a buttery, tarragon sauce that's fabulous with steak. I love eating at French bistros. One of my favorites is the Steak Frites (steak and fries) to say French fries would be redundant. It's always served with bearnaise sauce. Now you can have a little French bistro at home. Bon Appetit!

Easy Bearnaise Sauce

1 stick butter, cut up

1 T lemon juice

1 T tarragon vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 T minced fresh chives (here)

1/4 t salt

1/2 t dried tarragon

2 XL egg yolks

pinch pepper or cayenne

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Place over low heat. Whisk until the butter melts, then whisk constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

tip: use the chives from you herb garden.

(click on MAY DAYS blog on the right)

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Sate Seller

@ Taman Manula-Bandung, West Java

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Pearl Sagoo Porriage with Steam Banana & Fermented Cassava

For the last couple of weeks, almost every morning until afternoon we could enjoy beautiful sunshine here, in Jakarta. Then late afternoon, the weather changes very quickly... big rain come, soon the after-office hour traffics get worst.Sun and rain, the combination of both are good for plants. Now, we really enjoy lots of beautiful red flowers that are blooming around our house. To be honest,

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Easy Bread Machine White Bread

After not using my bread machine for years, I am now using it every week! So dig yours out and keep it in a convenient place and you'll be using it all the time, and give up the "store" bread.

I start the bread in about 5 minutes before I leave for tennis in the morning and when I come home the house smells fabulous and we have fresh home baked bread for lunch. It makes great toast the next day. Refrigerate in a Tupperware container, and if you have any left at the end of the week, it makes great French Toast or homemade croutons.

All you need is a super easy recipe and here it is:

Easy Bread Machine White Bread

1 C warm milk (micro 1 minute)

3 C bread flour

2 T sugar

1 t salt

2 t yeast (Fleishmann's BreadMachine Yeast in 4oz jar)

2 T butter, cut into 4 pieces

Remove the insert (bread pan) from the machine, Spray the turny-thingy with cooking spray, because sometimes it stays stuck inside the bottom of the bread.

Add the ingredients in the order listed. Make a little well in the middle to add the yeast. Tuck the butter pieces into the 4 corners. Replace the insert pan into the machine and turn to lock in place. Close lid and push "ON". Set for medium crust color. Indicator light will say 3:10. That is how long it will take. Remove the pan when done and invert the bread to remove. DO NOT put the pan in the dishwasher, just wash out with soapy water.

I make this bread at least once a week. I usually sneak the first warm slice, slather with butter and sprinkle with lots of cinnamon sugar. YUM!

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FLUFFY WHITE FROSTING

This is a fantastic frosting recipe, for many reasons. First of all, it is delicious. After that, it is super easy, super quick, it takes no special ingredients, it is pretty to look at and it is very versatile. It is a classic.

 In a large  GLASS OR METAL bowl, put two egg whites, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon of almond extract...set aside.
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In a saucepan, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, dash of salt and 1/3 cup of water. Cook and stir until it just comes to a boil and sugar dissolves.
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Start beating your egg whites and extracts on HIGH while you slowly drizzle in the hot syrup. Keep beating on high until stiff peaks form like this:

With a hand held electric mixer, this can take up to 7 minutes, but with my stand mixer it only takes about 4 minutes. Recipe makes enough to frost a 9" two layer cake or a 10" tube cake.

NOTE: To get these lovely big swirls, use a Wilton tip # 1M...it is a huge tip and will duplicate these swirls with total ease...I promise.
Very light, this frosting is a dream to work with.

NOTE: The bowl AND beaters that you use, for this frosting, can have NO TRACE of grease or oil on them (or the frosting will not whip properly...right out of the dishwasher is perfect). A big stand mixer, like a Kitchen Aid, works the best, but this can be done quite successfully with a hand held electric mixer too (it just takes longer).

NOTE: While this frosting holds up well in all kinds of weather, it WILL form sort of a skin over the soft fluffy frosting if left in dry air for several hours. To prevent this, just cover it if you are not going to eat it the same day.

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Mixed Bean Salad

A great side dish to any BBQ. It's so easy, and you make it ahead of time.

Mixed Bean Salad

1 can green beans

1 can wax beans

1 can dark red kidney beans

1/2 C chopped onion

1/2 C chopped green pepper

Dressing:

1/3 C sugar

1/3 C cider vinegar

1/3 C vegetable oil

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

Dump the beans in a colander and give them a good rinse. Combine the dressing ingredients in a large (Tupperware) bowl with a whisk. Add all the ingredients and give them a toss. Cover with the lid and refrigerate a few hours, or overnight. Turn the bowl once or twice to toss.

Tip: This will keep a few days and is good to snack on.

Tip: Take some to work the next day to go with your sandwich.

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Penne Shrimp in Tomato Cream Sauce

Penne Shrimp

3/4 lb Penne Pasta, I like Mezze Penne

1 lb large Shrimp, peeled

2 T Butter

2 T Olive Oil

1 small Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 C White Wine

1 can 14.5 oz Tomato Sauce

1 C Heavy Cream, 1/2 pint

1/4 C fresh parsley, finely chopped

6-8 Basil Leaves, chiffonade

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

Heat 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the shrimp, and cook for a few minutes until just opaque. Salt and pepper, stir and remove to a plate. Add remaining butter and oil to the skillet and add the onion and garlic. Saute, stirring until cooked and translucent. Add the wine, stirring and bring to a simmer for a few minutes. Add the tomato sauce. Stir until well combined. Then add the cream. Stir until combined. Turn the heat to low bring to a simmer. Stir in the herbs, taste if more salt and pepper is needed. Now add the shrimp back to the pan. Give it a stir. Finally add the cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir. Serve from the skillet or put into a pretty serving platter.

ENJOY!

tip: chiffonade, stack basil leaves on top of one another, roll tightly and slice into thin ribbons.

tip: keep a 12 0z to 1 lb bag of large frozen shrimp in the freezer, for quick dinner. It thaws in minutes in cold water.

tip: grow your own herb garden here

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PEANUT BUTTER BLONDIES (and a thank you)

These peanut butter blondies are dense, moist and packed full of peanut butter flavor; they are the consistency of a good brownie and would make an excellent addition to any lunch box, bake sale or weekend treat served with a big glass of cold milk.
½ cup peanut butter
1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
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In a medium mixing bowl, cream the peanut butter and butter together; beat in the sugars, eggs and vanilla just until well mixed. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until everything is well mixed.
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Bake in a greased 9" x 9" baking pan at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched (my oven took 34 minutes). Frost and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Cool before cutting.
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PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
½ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons milk
Warm the peanut butter in the microwave just until it gets very soft, then whip everything together, starting with the lesser amount of milk and adding more if necessary.

Thank you very much for all of the warm birthday sentiments. Your kind and generous words made my (potentially traumatic) 60th birthday a lot easier for me. Thank you friends!!

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Bektim Seller

@ Gang Gloria-Glodok, North Jakarta

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BROWNIE BITES

So what does a baker do to celebrate her 60th birthday? She bakes something SHE really likes!!! I found this little recipe gem on My Tasty Treasures last winter; she calls them Fudge Brownie Cups; I call them addictive!!! Donna frosts hers with melted Hershey's chocolate, but since I made these for my birthday, I frosted them with my all-time favorite chocolate cream cheese frosting. These little beauties are moist and chocolatey and so easy to pop in your mouth. My son calls them "wicked good". Fortunately for me...as all bakers know, calories consumed on your birthday do not count!!! 2 sticks butter, room temperature
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 + 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
20 tablespoons flour
Lightly butter mini-muffin pans (my tip*I used Bakers Joy spray). Melt together, butter, semisweet chocolate and brown sugar in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth (*keep it as cool as possible).
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Remove from heat and beat in vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, stirring until well mixed. Fold in flour and blend well. (*let this batter sit for about 10 minutes before you bake it and it will be easier to work).
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Spoon one (*rounded) measuring teaspoonful into each spot. Bake in preheated 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes (*my oven took exactly 11 minutes). Remove and cool completely.
NOTE: grease or spray pans between each batches of brownie cups. This recipe makes 60.
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CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
¼ cup soft butter
½ cup baking cocoa
8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
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The butter needs to be really warm, but not melted. Stir the cocoa into the butter and mix well; whip in the cream cheese & add vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently so that you get a nice smooth butter-cocoa-vanilla-cream cheese mixture. Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until really smooth in between each cup.
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So what is it like to turn 60? Not as stressful as I anticipated.
What am I going to do for my birthday? Relax and let Hubby grill.
What do I want for my birthday? Hugs and kisses from my husband, children and grandchildren...other than that, I have everything I've ever wanted...oh! wait!! Not quite everything I've ever wanted...I've always wanted a white picket fence, but that's more of a June Cleaver dream I think. Come to think of it, I DO have everything I've ever wanted (except those kisses!!).

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Happy Mother's Day!

Remembering my mother and all the wonderful things she cooked. Her recipes were all watch and learn. Nothing was written down, just passed down.. goulash, red cabbage, strawberry cake, bean vegetable soup. So many wonderful old German recipes that her family loved. They never quite taste as good as when she made them. Every bite is a memory.

We love and miss her every day.

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FOR MY MOM

My mother was a wonderful person. Born in Cambridge, England, she came to America as a young WWII bride. She and dad moved to Alaska in the spring of 1950 and lived in a tiny log cabin with wood heat and no electricity or running water. She was a strong adventurous woman with a huge heart and a big laugh.

Raising four children on the homestead, so far away from England, could not have been easy, but she did it well. She instilled in us a sense of humor, a love for life and a love of family. I miss you mom and I love you more every day. Happy Mothers Day♥ ♥

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[TGIF] Black Pepper Beef & Sweet Corn

Beberapa minggu terakhir, rasanya saya kekurangan waktu untuk update blog ini. Foto-foto sudah menumpuk, tapi sulit dapat waktu dan mood untuk ngeblog.Foto-foto 'street vendor' yang muncul setiap hari Selasa, udah berjejer di bagian 'draft' postingan blog ini hingga beberapa bulan ke depan, dan akan otomatis ter'publish' setiap hari Selasa... jadi sebenarnya beberapa minggu terakhir blog ini

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Welcome to MargaRITAville!

MargaRITAs

1 can frozen limeade (6 or 12 oz)

2 can water

1 can tequila

1/3 can triple sec

2 C ice

Shake in large covered container, like Tupperware and serve over ice. To make a frozen drink use only 1 C water and 2 C ice in a blender.

Make up a batch ahead and add the ice when you want to serve it. Rub the rim of your glass with some of the liquid and dip in equal mixture of salt and sugar in small plate.

OLE'

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Cinco De Mayo

Chicken Enchiladas

3 C cooked chicken

2 C (8 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Mexican blend

1/2 C sour cream

1 (4.5 ox) can chopped green chilies

1/3 C fresh cilantro, chopped

Stir together and divide evenly onto

8 (8")flour tortillas,

and roll up. Arrange in a lightly greased 9x13" baking dish. Spray top of tortillas with cooking spray.

Bake 350 for 35-40 minutes until golden.

Topping: 1 C (8 oz) sour cream

1 (8 oz) bottle green taco sauce

combine and spread over hot enchiladas. Sprinkle on garnish.

Garnish: diced tomatoes, chopped avocado chopped green onion, chopped cilantro

OLE'

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HOT FUDGE SUNDAY CAKE

Click On This Photo For Full Yummm-factor

The first time I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it because it had a lot of things going for it. First and foremost, it is an ooey-gooey chocolate dream. Secondly, there are no mixing bowls (you mix it right in the baking pan). Thirdly, it does not require any special ingredients (not even butter or eggs). And finally, this super-tender chocolate (sponge type) cake bakes on top of a rich hot fudge sauce…need I say more?

¾ cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa (divided)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups boiling water
1½ teaspoons instant coffee granules
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350°. In an (un-greased) 8”x8” baking pan, mix flour, white sugar, ¼ cup of the cocoa, baking powder and salt (stir it up to combine); add the milk and oil and stir until the batter is well mixed.
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Mix the brown sugar and ¼ cup of cocoa together and sprinkle evenly over the batter (DO NOT MIX IT IN).
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Combine the boiling water, vanilla and instant coffee and gently pour it over everything (DO NOT MIX IT IN).
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Bake for 35 minutes (the hot fudge sauce will bubble up from underneath and around the edges of the cake as it bakes). Allow this to cool for 15 minutes before you serve it (just make sure it's very warm when you serve it).
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To serve, top a slice of cake with scoop of vanilla ice cream and spoon the hot fudge sauce (from the bottom of the pan)over the ice cream.
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As simple as this dessert is…it is just unique enough (and delicious enough) for company as well.

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Does this pan make my butt look big?

Pork Butt Pot Roast with Gravy

Season the pork generously with, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and pepper, also beau monde, if you have it. I like to use my small cast iron roasting pan. You can also use a cast iron skillet. Roast at 350 for about an hour to brown. Add water to cover the bottom of the pan  (about 1/2 C) and cover with foil. Roast another 1-1/2 hour or more until fork tender. Remove the roast to a platter. Cover loosely with the foil to keep warm while you make the gravy.

Gravy: add 2-3 T flour to the drippings in the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a whisk to loosen the yummy browned bits, for 2 minutes. Add 2 C of water or broth ((you can use bullion cubes) to the pan, whisking constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens. I had 2 C of chicken broth that I saved from yesterdays chicken salad prep. Cut the roast into serving pieces and return to the pan with the gravy. Serve with; mashed potatoes or spaetzle and a green vegetable.

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Instant Drink Seller

@ Old Batavia/Kota Tua, North Jakarta

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Lunch! Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

Chicken Poppy Seed Salad

(adapted from "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood" Cookbook)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 C seedless grapes, cut in half

1 C slivered almonds, or chopped pecans

1 C mayonnaise

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T poppy seeds

1 T dill

Mix in a large bowl until fully combined, Store in the refrigerator.

Serve with warm croissants, toasted homemade bread or popovers and ice tea. ENJOY!

Tip: Save the broth you cooked the chicken in to use when making gravy, rice, or freeze for

later

Tip: To cook the chicken (for this and other recipes that call for cooked chicken), put about 3 boneless, skinless breasts, about 1-1/2 lb, in a shallow skillet, add water to just cover, about 2 C, add salt, some chopped celery tops, if you have them. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, or until cooked through. You can also use leftover meat from a roast chicken.

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Happy MAY DAY pancake

Our favorite pancakes are so easy to make. 

Because they are baked in the oven, you have
time  to slice the strawberries, make coffee,
and set the table. There is no rushing.

 Whisk the batter while the pan heats
in the oven with the butter.

 After the butter is melted and the pan is hot,
 pour the batter into the pan.

This is the 8" single serving pan

 This is the double recipe in a pie dish. 

This will serve 2-4

 Puffing in the oven.

Remove from the oven when it is puffed and

 golden. Warm your plates the last 2 minutes. 

This is the double size made in a 9" pie pan

 While the pancake is baking 

rinse out the batter bowl and slice the strawberries.

Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and 

set aside to serve with the pancakes.

Fill the pancakes with the fresh strawberries 

and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Serve at once on heated plates.

Strawberry Oven-Puff Pancakes

For each individual serving:

1 egg

1/4 C flour

1/4 C milk

1/4 t vanilla

Whisk together until smooth.

1T butter

5-6 fresh strawberries

lemon juice, sprinkle

powdered sugar, sprinkle

Preheat oven to 425. In a 6" nonstick ovenproof pan, add 1 T butter. Put skillet in oven while it preheats and the butter is melted and bubbly. Remove pan from oven and add the batter, do not stir. Return to oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until puffed high and golden. Meanwhile, rinse out your batter bowl and slice the strawberries. Add a little lemon juice to the strawberries. Remove pancake from oven when done onto the heated plate. Fill center with strawberries and dust generously with powdered sugar. ENJOY!

*You can easily double this recipe to serve 2-3. Use a glass or pottery 9" pie pan

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