Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

It's seems like it's taken us forever to get settled, but then I realize, it's only been two weeks. Back to blogging. Going to pick up where I left off, aka, when I started packing.

Spring means strawberries in my mind, and it appears the grocery stores agree. Strawberries were plentiful, and that means one thing in our house, strawberry rhubarb crisp. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

3 stalks of rhubarb, cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups of strawberries, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 cup of white sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup oats

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb and sugar for the filling. . In another medium to large bowl, combine remaining ingredients for the crisp.

Grease casserole dish with butter, I just use what was on the butter wrapper. Fill with strawberry mixture, then top with oat mixture. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!

-Akemichan

Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby

I was watching an episode of Bob's Burgers, one of my favorite binge shows, when I came to the Dutch Baby episode. Everyone goes to diner that advertises their Dutch Baby, and despite it's long prep time and Bob's impatience, Linda orders the pancake.

oooOOOOooo a Dutch Baby!!! lol

I've never made or had a Dutch Baby, but the idea of a puffy silky pancake could convert this waffle-lover. Think of a custardy cake that is also crunchy and fluffy. How is this possible?! I can to find out.



Apple Cinnamon Dutch Baby
4 tbsp butter
2 granny Smith apples, sliced thinly
3 tbsp sugar, divided
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp cinnamon


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While the oven heats, dived butter in 4 pads and put into 12" skillet. Place skillet in oven for a minute to melt butter. Once butter is melted, remove from oven, don't forget your oven mits. Take apple slices and arrange in the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and 1 tbsp sugar). Then add wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla and milk). Whisk to combine. Once combined, pour over apples in skillet. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon. Place back in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.

We cut ours with a pie server and drizzled everything from maple syrup, to molasses, honey and chocolate syrup. All delicious.


I need to make this every weekend, and I mean EVERY weekend. So easy and delicious I cannot live without it. There will be many Dutch Babies in my future. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to find a Dutch Baby fan club.


-Akemi-chan

May and June Randoms

Change in is the air. We had a record breaking rainfall in June and the skies are starting to clear. Summer means sun, and the sun has finally come out to play. Here are some Randoms pictures of my daily adventures during May and June.

Loving that infused water

Pool time

Big bear

Mint juleps and sunning

Extra mint julep

Strawberry rhubarb pie, in the making

Strawberry season means berries in everything 

Giant ice cude for bears

Flying with the butterflies

Avocado and sardine toast

Berry pancakes

Chicken and sala verde open faced tacos

No poho saimin

Chicken and mushroom tortellini 

Roasted pork and avocado sandwich on homemade bread

Graffiti alley

Banana, almond, coconut muffins

Panera's new power Caesar salad

Trying to hop on a flight on Chicago 

In the air again

Chicken coconut curry

Spinach, arugula, nectarine, goat cheese and bacon salad

We just got back from Atlanta and I have a feeling things are about to change around here. Keep in touch. Atlanta posts and announcements soon to come.

-Akemi-chan

Thanksgiving for Two

If haven't mentioned it before, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I know it's December and I'm behind on blogging, but I had to share our little cooking day. Thanksgiving reminds me of gatherings and quality time with family and food. 

This year, I had to work the day before and after Thanksgiving, so not many options for family gatherings. So in an effort to make Thanksgiving just as happy as I remember it, Bryan and I had our first holiday as a married couple and we pulled out all the stops. 

Making lunch

There's kind of no point in making a whole turkey, or even a chicken, for two people. But you still want that bird. So we made turkey meatballs dipped in homemade cranberry sauce. Super easy and delicious. 

To kick things up a notch, we put our fancy pants on for some crostini. Appetizers are always fun and I wanted the menu to have the flavors of Thanksgiving, but with a twist in each dish. To me, Fall crostini means Autumnal squash, so we had roasted butternut squash with arugula, goat cheese and sage brown butter. YUM!

That takes care of lunch. Yes, this was an all day affair. For dinner, we decided to keep it simple and made dishes that could be packed up for leftovers, another favorite holiday tradition. 

For dinner, we made roasted Brussel sprout salad. Top those delicious little cabbages with blue cheese, bacon and almonds. Rich and indulgent. 

Nothing says Thanksgiving like quinoa. Yeah, I know. Not your typical holiday fare, but stay with me. Sautee some mushrooms in brown butter and sage. Cook the quinoa with garlic and chicken broth. Combine with mushrooms and left over butternut squash from the appetizers. Voila! Healthy protein with Fall flavors. 

Dinner

Some of my favorite food memories revolve around dessert. But as an adult, I have to watch the sweet intake. Things can easily spiral out of control if you leave me alone in a room with a full pie or box of cookies. Sometimes we need to treat ourselves without going overboard. In my opinion, this is where savory desserts come into play. 

Keeping with the Autumnal feel and to go savory, we made puff pastry wrapped pears drizzled with honey and topped with blue cheese and almonds. Savory with a hitn of sweet, but you still get that buttery richness from the puff pastry. Ice cream would work too if you're not into blue cheese. 

Dessert and Dannowine

thanksgiving is always better with friends and family, but I think Bryan and I did a pretty good job. Taking this opportunity to be creative and spend the day cooking together was a nice was to spend the holiday and revive our Valentine's Day cooking adventure. 

-Akemi-chan

Green Tea Mojito and Cherry Limeade

It's hot out there, and as much as I like Sonic's Route 66 drinks, sometimes you gotta make your own. Pst, it tastes better.

Green Tea Mojito

1 serving of green tea, cold

Fresh mint

1 cup crushed ice

1 tbsp simple syrup or honey

1/4 lime

Squeeze juice of lime into cup and add used lime wedges. Add crushed ice, mint and simple syrup. Muddle to mix flavors. Add green tea. Garnish with lime.

Cherry Limeade

6 fresh cherries, pitted

1 tbsp grenadine 

1 cup crushed ice

1/2 lime

Water

Squeeze juice of lime into cup and add used lime wedges. Add crushed ice, pitted cherries and grenadine. Muddle to mix flavors. Add water. Garnish with lime.

I'm obsessed with flavored drinks this season. Arnold Palmers, ginger lemonades, sangria... All of it. Hope this gives you a little inspiration for your next Summer drink. Enjoy the heat everyone!

-Akemi-chan

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Waffles

I've been a little obsessed with sweets lately. Milkshakes, cookies, cupcakes, doughnuts, it's beginning to be a problem. Fortunately, I can still have some sweet stuff in the morning, but in reasonable doses. 

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Waffles

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Pancakes

2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/4 cups almond milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cooking spray

Sliced bananas (optional)

Maple syrup (optional)

In a large bowl mix peanut butter, sugar, eggs, almond milk, vegetable oil and salt. Whisk in flour and baking soda. Scoop batter into waffle iron and cook until desired texture. I like my crunchy, so I left it on for a little longer. Top with bananas and maple syrup. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Watermelon Juice

Watermelon is one of the few foods I associate with Summer. It's easy to see why, but I instantly go back to sitting in my Grandma's backyard or sitting at the beach in a bikini. Chomping away at some juicy watermelon. I wasn't much of a seed-spitter, the seeds just slowed me down. Now, there's the beauty of seedless watermelon, and I will take full advantage of that.

Watermelon Juice

3 cups of cubed seedless watermelon
1 tbsp honey or simple syrup
1 tbsp mint, and more for garnish (optional)
1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. You can add more or less simple syrup or honey depending on the sweetness of the melon. Garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy!

This has been my go-to snack/dessert/ breakfast smoothie for the past couple of days. It's incredibly refreshing, just sweet enough and so easy. I just cut the watermelon ahead of time and store in it the fridge. Them it's ready to go when I am. Don't even get me started on adding some booze. It's going to be a great Summer. 

-Akemi-chan

Quick Chicken Salad

It's Summer, which means sunshine, picnics, grilling and light and refreshing foods. I've been soaking up every ounce of sunlight that I can muster. Shorts, tanks, sunglasses and sandals have been my off-duty uniform and I wouldn't have it any other way. These days I take any excuse to go for an afternoon walk and an ice-cold drink on the porch. It's Summer and I'm loving it.

I've been trying to eat lighter. It's not just a wedding diet, but a seasonal thing as well. I don't want to eat heavy filling foods that prevent me from taking my afternoon stroll. I want something that is crisp and refreshing and leaving me feel energized and ready for the rest of the day. Tea helps too, ice of course.

One afternoon, Bryan and I decided to have lunch in the backyard with the puppydog. Although I consider this to be a hodgepodge of ingredients I happen to have in the fridge, it still did the job.



Quick Chicken Salad

1 large chicken breast, grilled and cubed

3 cups of fresh spinach, washed

1 carrot, sliced diagonally

2 strips of bacon, chopped

1 Fuji Apple, cubed

1 single serving sized plain Greek yogurt 

1 lemon

2 tsp chives

1 tsp chopped garlic

Salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, chives and garlic. If the dressing is too thick, add more lemon juice. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and toss in yogurt dressing. Simple and easy, just like Summer.

Perfect with a glass of lemonade or iced tea, this salad was the perfect way to stay cool inside and outside. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

May Randoms

May could not be over fast enough. So much drama with the weather, which means drama at the airport. I am freshly back from my "weekend" in Chicago and I need some rest and relaxation. May is almost over and I cannot wait for Summer. 

Here are some random pictures from May. 

Lusting over my apple slices

Breakfast time

Trying out CU's newest craze, Pandamonium Doughnuts

Apple fritter, double coconut and lemon poppyseed

Visiting Sleepy Creek Vineyards

Wino crossing :-P

Local wildlife at Sleepy Creek

Bottle of wine at the lake

Two weeks of daffodils

Smothers pork chops with Brussel sprout apple salad

Why we feel alive

Flora

That time of year

Attempt at a "healthy" chicken Florentine

Cycling to club music at the gym's poolside event

 Love the smell of lilacs

Lasgana rollups

Getting our peanut sauce on at Basil Thai

Baby bird

Afternoon snack at Mirabelle

Who said you can't tan your legs outside while treating your hair?

Sunshine means backyard reading

Hail at the airport, my car did not appreciate this

First movie theater/ restaurant experience. Confused and scared.

Wedding is less than 4 months away and all I can do is go out and eat stuff. This will end well for me. But maybe some sunshine will help my mood. Couldn't hurt right?

-Akemi-chan