Vintage Monday: Welch's T-Rex jars

This fun jar with a T-Rex on it was a staple in BK's grandma's kitchen.  He claims that grandma served "schwan drink" in it.  He also could not explain what that was and said only his family would know.  Anyone want to help me out here?

I made a lychee and peach smoothie in mine--3oz lychee juice, 8-9 lychees, 4-5 slices of frozen peaches and 4-5 ice cubes.  Yum!

Favorite Friday Recipe: Tofu salad with peanut dressing

I'm been busy trying out recipes from My Kitchen Snippets, one of my new favorite food blogs.  This tofu salad is perfect on a hot summer day--lots of crisp veggies and the peanut sauce has a real kick to it if you add in the sambal chilli sauce.  I happened to come across it at our local asian food store and was so excited because it's such a familiar flavor--it's used in a lot of Singaporean dishes.

Tofu Salad with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 pcs of firm tofu
• 1 cup of jicama - julienned
• 1 cup of cucumber - julienned
• 1 cup of carrot - julienned
• 1 cup of beansprouts

Peanut sauce:

• 3 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp of sambal Oelek (more or less--I suggest less--whew!)
• 1 clove of garlic - chopped
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar
• 3/4 cup of water (more or less)
• 2 tbsp of sugar (more or less--always more in my case)

Directions:

• Lightly fry the tofu until heated through
• Wear your fingers to a nub trying to cut jicama, cucumber and carrots into little matchstick pieces
• In a small saucepan, heat the peanut sauce ingredients and allow to boil and thicken
• Assemble veggies, tofu and put as much sauce as you want on top, sprinkle with extra crushed peanuts for good measure
• Enjoy!

Wishlist Wednesday: Momofuku cake tasting package

Does this not look like the best thing ever you could get in the mail??

Vintage Mondays: Fire King Summerfield baking dishes

Estate sale finds from this weekend!!

Favorite Friday Recipe: BBQ Pork Puffs (Char Siew) using Paratha bread

We had some left over BBQ pork from the local Chinese restaurant and I used it as filling for some pastry puffs.  Normally I would use puff pastry but read about using frozen paratha (a type of Indian flatbread) and it was so much easier and super delicious.  I can't wait to make cuffy puffs with this type of pastry now!

Austin eats: Pamela Jane's lobster rolls

Talk about winning the pregnant lady's lottery!  I recently won a lobster roll box from Pamela Jane's New England lobster rolls.  Delicious!  I've been wanting to try this lunch box and it is definitely worth the hype!  Lots of fresh chunks of North Atlantic lobster in a crusty bun and yes, I poured all that roasted shallot butter on top!  The box came with bottled water, crunchy kettle chips and 2 delicious homemade whoopie pies (one for me, one for baby).  I highly recommend treating yo-self sometime with one of these lunch boxes.  These certainly rival the lobster rolls I've had in Boston and NYC.   And much better than the Perla's and Dock n Roll versions here in Austin as well.  What a great way to start the week!  Thanks Pamela!

Favorite Friday Recipe: Peanut Pancake (Apam Balik)

This was one of my favorite treats growing up in Singapore.  It's basically a chewy pancake filled with crushed peanuts and sugar.  Fillings also include sweet red bean paste, coconut, or kaya jam.  I stumbled upon some great Singaporean/Malaysian food blogs lately and they have triggered my longing for foods from home.  I was so excited that this was relatively simple to make! 

Peanut Pancake (Apam Balik)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup All Purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 1 Large egg
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup soy milk/milk
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 
• Filling (which can be crushed peanuts mixed with sugar, jam, or Nutella in BK's case)

 Directions:

• Whisk dry ingredients and then add in egg, milk and vanilla
• Let the batter sit and bubble for a bit while you heat your nonstick pan up to medium
• Pour a thin layer of batter in the pan and let it cook/bubble
• Add your filling when batter is all the way cooked
• Flip into a semi-circle, cut and serve warm!