Friday, February 24, 2012
Kulinarya - For The Husband
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Colors - DailyBuzz Mom 9x9
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Foodbuzz Tasters - Kikkoman
One of more week, one more week then I'm back to being my regular posting machine.
I did have the opportunity to test a product from Kikkoman. I'm asian and I love myself some Kikkoman. I already use their panko, tempura mix, and all marinates. When I was presented the opportunity through FoodBuzz to be a tastemaker, I jumped at the chance. For this tastemaker, I received package of pre-seasoned coating mix called Kara-Age Soy-Ginger Seasoning Coating Mix. The beauty of this mix just takes 5 minutes to cook. This is perfect for a quick dinner with very little help. I do have to warn you not to season the meat. The mix is a touch on the salty side so I would leave it plain. I tried it with a piece of pork but it didn't work as well but I did like it with salmon. I also think chicken would work great like chicken fingers.
Friday, February 10, 2012
I'm a Slacker
….......... but we do have a winner to my little giveaway. The winner is.....
This actually happened to my husband not me -- I was sleeping thank goodness! He heated hot chocolate in the microwave and then put it in this Tupperware shaker we have to shake it up. After he put the lid on, it literally exploded upwards like a volcano, spraying hot cocoa all over the place, included part of the ceiling, walls, lamp (we have a small apt.!) He said he kind of stared at it all in shock for a minute before he could take action of any kind. If i had been awake, I would have helped him, so selfishly, I was relieved I wasn't in the vicinity and conscious at the time!
I was laughing for a while. It was a much needed. I feel like I'm a slacker lately. I have neglecting my little blog. How I miss thee...... Unfortunately, life has been taking over. Work mainly has been consuming every minute of my life. Too bad I can't seem to concentrate when I'm at work or I wouldn't have to work as many hours and then I have the Son. Any suggestions to get a teething 8 month old to sleep, I'm open. I miss sleep and I believe I'm starting to talk in strange language whem I'm talking (I am starting to get strange looks).
The funny part, I have been cooking and baking to release the stress. I just haven't had the chance to write. So I'm currently hiding in my cube trying to write something because I'm busting at the seams. Normally on Fridays, I like to post something other about anything that doesn't include food but I felt that since it has been a couple of weeks since I posted, I need to post a recipe.
I am in the process cleaning out my freezer and I found a collection of random nut flours. Each one wasn't enough to make anything so I combined it all to make a macaron.
I used my normal macaron recipe but I used a mix of nuts to equal the weight of the cashew flour. I hate wasting. I also added a little coco powder (about 1 Tbl). As the filling, I used the buttercream recipe I found on CD Kitchen. Instead of ube flavored, I added coffee. I need to figure out what to do with all the random flours I have like chickpea flour :}
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Help, I need to be Entertained and a GIVEAWAY
I normally get the crazy looks from my friends and family at this point.
A little background:
I’m was and kinda still in Information Technology. I have probably one of the most boring jobs. I look at data (sheets of information) all day. I’m a geek through and through.
Due to my “chosen” career, I had to find something creative in my life. It took a few trials and experiments to finally find a way to express my creativity (I kept telling myself I was an artist in college, LIES). Having a job where I am essentially a data monkey (this is what like to call myself), I found cooking/baking allowed do as I like without boundaries. This is probably why I tend to have a failure here and there.
For the next month at least, I’m “stuck” in the middle of a system upgrade (could it get any more boring?). I hope that I could share with you all of the different food experiments I have been making at home. I just have to sneak an hour here and there to actually write a post. Shhhh - don’t tell me boss. In hopes to keep me sane, I have a favor to ask of you and I have a little prize in return:
I’m sure some of you may be aware that valentines is coming up. If you ask The Husband, he will play dumb. I have 4 chocolate molds, melting chocolates, and lollipop sticks from my favorite chocolate place: Morkes.
This is what I ask of you: Tell me what your favorite misadventures in the kitchen or even in life.
For example: I have the most horrible way of forgetting about what I am cooking so when I tried to make dulce de leche. I thought The Husband turned off the stove and he thought I did. The can exploded all over my kitchen and The poor Husband was doing his homework when it happened. He said he sounded like an explosion. He is amazed I didn’t wake up from it. It was everywhere! I’m sure you are giggling right now. The Daughter was and told me I was in trouble.
A winner will be picked via random.org. Creativity does count and you will get extra entries if you have successfully got me to cry from laughter. Anna will confirm that it is fairly easy to achieve since I laugh at everything.
For bonus chances Follow me in
This Blog
Leave a comment for each follow.
Entries will be accepted until Monday February 6th. I’ll pick a winner on Tuesday. I want to make sure you have enough time before Valentines Day!
Please excuse the pictures, I actually just took these this morning as I was getting the kids ready. I can’t wait until the sun is out longer.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Kulinarya Jan 12 - Sugar Free Mocha Cake
For any celebration, I always expect some sort of cake. My personal favorite is mocha cake with a fluffy layer of butter cream. Not the healthiest of food. But I used Agava sugar instead of regular sugar. I did question if it would work well since I had to whip the eggs into a medium peak but it came out beautifully.
Instead of putting frosting throughout the cake, I just topped the cake used fresh strawberries as a filling. In my head, less frosting, fresh fruit, and no sugar justifies as healthy. This is why I battle with my weight for years. I used LaFuji Mama's strawberry shortcake recipe with this.
Sponge Cake
4 Eggs separated
1/2 Cups of Agava Sugar
3 Tbs of Milk, at room temperature
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
14 Tbs of Cake Flour Sifted (could use coconut flour or rice flour for gluten free)
2 Tbs of Melted Butter (I used low fat butter that is mixed in with yogurt)
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Heat the milk slightly and than add the coffee. Make sure it is well dissolved.
- Add the agava sugar to the egg whites and beat the egg whites until they reached a medium peak.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time to the egg white mixture while folding in the yolks until they are incorporated.
- Add the coffee mixture, vanilla extract, and butter to the batter and gently fold them into the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan (8 inch or I used long snack cake molds). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Let it cool.
For the stabilized whipped cream frosting:
1 Tsp of Unflavored Gelatin
4 Tsp of Cold Water
1 Cup of Cold Whipping Cream (less calories than heavy whipping cream by a little)
1/6 Cup of Agava Sugar
1/2 Tsp of Vanilla Extract
To make the Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting:
- Place the cold water in a small saucepan than sprinkle the gelatin onto the water. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Heat the saucepan on a low heat than stir constantly with a wooden spoon just until the gelatin dissolves. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, agava, and vanilla and beat until slightly thickened. Then, while beating slowly, gradually pour the gelatin into the whipped cream mixture.
- Then whip the mixture at high speed until stiff.
To assemble the cake:
- Slice the cake(s) in 1/2.
- Arrange the strawberries on the lower 1/2.
- Spread the whipped cream frosting on top.
- Serve
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Hong Kong Cakes
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Daring Cooks - Tamales
Friday, January 13, 2012
No Food Friday Kinda - Progress
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Filled Monkey Bread
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Cioppino
Friday, December 30, 2011
No food Fridays - New Years Resolution
It is the time of year where you swear to yourself you will complete a task for the following year. Normally it is the same thing each year. My favorite one I say each year is to lose weight or get healthy. This year I have a few. I don’t really expect to complete all of them but at least I plan to try.
1. Try to hold my temper and be more patient with my kids, especially with a certain 3 year old that loves to say...Mommy, I WANT IT NOW! I will try to speak calmly instead of stomping and itching when I would get frustrated
2. I will try not to get irritated when The Husband criticizes me on how I made something. Of course Honey, you are right. I’m sure I’m doing it wrong even through you have no idea what is puff pastry or a macaron is. (He actually knows these since I have made them enough times. A marcaron is a little hamburger)
3. Of course, to lose weight and eat healthier (sucks when all I want to cook involves frying or sugar).
4. I will make time for myself somehow: like reading, cooking, exercising, and attempting to relax
5. My main one is to be organized. I have a feeling that if I was more organized, I wouldn’t be scrambling in the last minute and I wouldn’t get irritated when someone would criticize me or bug me for my attention. I might even get a chance to plan stuff where I could eat healthier and exercise.
I know this may be a lot of stuff but one could hope and there is always next year.
I do hope that I will be able to do more recipe development and blog more often. I just need an extra 4 hours of my day. If anybody have some extra time handy, please pass it my way. Thanks!
I hope you have a wonderful and safe New years. Please eat for me since I “should” eat healthier starting now.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Cheese pin wheel - Remake
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Happy Holidays
From my family to yours, Happy Holidays.
Love, eat, and enjoy the ones you love.
Love,
Joy of Joy's Misadventures

Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Kulinarya Dec '11 - Prime Rib Tocino
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Bake, Decorate, and Donate
Monday, December 12, 2011
The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap
Friday, December 9, 2011
No food Friday - Diaper Cake
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Short on time - Remake #2
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Ice Cream Cupcakes
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
A Twist to Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving, I jst spent some quality time with my famil and I wanted to do something with our friends. But instead of having even more turkey we decided to host a "wing-off". The rules went like this.....
There will be two categories:
1. Traditional
2. Exotic
RULES
1. Must be homemade
2. Everybody needs to enter both *it was just myself and The Husband made both
3. A lb of each type
4. Judging will be voted by the majority (You can't vote for your own)
Sunday, November 20, 2011
DailyBuzz Moms' Kids Friendly Thanksgiving Table 9x9
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Kulinarya November
- First cook the short ribs either in a slow boil for a couple of hours or in a slow cooker. The meat should be falling off the bone.
- Once the ribs are fully cooked, heat up a large dutch oven with a little oil.
- Add the garlic to start the cook and than the ribs including the bone (the bone provides so much flavor instead of adding powder flavoring.
- When the garlic starts to brown, add the rice and season. Let it toast slightly.
- Add the water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a medium to a medium-low heat.
- Cook for 15-20.
- Serve with green onions and toasted garlic (I love myself some toasted garlic).
Friday, November 18, 2011
My latest Obession
One day......
I will not be as busy at work
I won't be called to attend to one child or another
I will have free time to myself without having to schedule it in
Probably when the kids are out of the house.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Taking you blog to the next level
I'm at the foodbuzz blogger festival. Jealous, I know you are. I am sitting in a room listening to a bunch of great bloggers listening to their tips and advice. My big take on this, Be yourself I find that being the most valueable part of the whole discussion. The other part is connecting with your readers
Want to guess where I am
Here is a hint.
Keep tune, I'll keep updated.
















