February 3, 2016

Elmo Candy

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Elmo Candy

Elmo Candy

February 3: Elmo’s Birthday

Happy birthday to Islander’s favorite furry friend—Elmo! She adores the Sesame Street character so much that she was inspired to try a candy decoration project to mark her muse’s special day. It is a simple sugar arts technique that involves tracing and flooding over a pattern. The finished candy piece may be eaten as is or used as a cake decoration.

Elmo was a simple pattern with a few candy melt colors that Islander had on hand for her first candy project. Other clipart or coloring page patterns and chocolate or candy melt colors may be used—the possibilities are endless for a fun and personalized project. But for today, enjoy an edible Elmo on his birthday.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • Black (or dark chocolate) candy melts
  • Red candy melts
  • Orange candy melts
  • White (or white chocolate) candy melts

Directions

Print out a clipart or coloring page of Elmo. Put the image on a cake board, cardboard or cutting board. Tape waxed paper over it. Melt the black or dark chocolate candy melts. Let cool slightly. Fill a piping bag outfitted with Wilton tip #3. Trace the outline of Elmo, flooding the mouth area. Refrigerate for a few minutes until the candy is set.

Elmo Candy

Melt the red candy melts. Let cool slightly. Fill a piping bag outfitted with Wilton tip #3. Flood the body area. Do the same for the nose using the orange candy melts.

Elmo Candy

Melt the white chocolate candy melts. Let cool slightly. Fill a piping bag outfitted with Wilton tip #3. Flood the eye area. Refrigerate for a few minutes until the candy is set.

Elmo Candy

Use the remaining melted white chocolate candy melts to trace all over Elmo’s body and flood the area completely. This makes the overall candy sturdier. Go ¼-inch past the edges with an outer outline (optional). Refrigerate for a few minutes until the candy is set. Remove the tape from the wax paper. Turn the hardened candy Elmo over on the flat surface. Carefully peel away the waxed paper. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve or decorate a cake.

 

February 1, 2016

Avocado-Mushroom-Onion Omelet

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Avocado-Mushroom-Onion Omelet

Avocado Omelet

February: National Avocado Month

Islander was so shy in kindergarten when students were asked to name a fruit during a food lesson. All the other classmates stated the obvious—apples, bananas, oranges—and local Hawaiian favorites—coconuts, pineapples, papayas, mangos, lychees, lilikoi, etc. She regrets not having spoken up and saying “avocado” especially since her family had an avocado tree in the back yard of her childhood home in Pearl Harbor that was located across the street from the school!

Now, 40+ years later, Islander is using this blog as a medium to say that avocado is botanically a fruit. But because it is green and used in many savory recipes, many might confuse it as a vegetable.

In observing National Avocado Month, we put avocado slices in an omelet filled with mushrooms and caramelized onions for a hearty and healthy brunch. Celebrate February with a fruit and add an avocado to an omelet!

Recipe

(Adapted from Williams-Sonoma)

Ingredients

  • Olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • ¼ cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup mushrooms (we used oyster), sliced
  • 4 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, sliced
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced into wedges

Directions

Slice the mushrooms, chives, onion and avocado. In a skillet, sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until caramelized (around 10 minutes). Add the water to deglaze. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Avocado Omelet

In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil and add the mushrooms. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Wipe down the skillet and heat with 1 teaspoon of oil. Pour in half the beaten egg-water mixture and swirl around to cover the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle in the chives. Cook for about a minute or two. On one side of the omelet, sprinkle half the onions and mushrooms.

Avocado Omelet

Fan out the avocado slices on top. When the eggs are slightly set, fold the other side of the omelet over the filling. Slide the omelet onto a plate and keep warm. Repeat the process for the second omelet. Yield: 2 servings.

Avocado Omelet

Notes

  • Sprinkle a little lemon juice on the avocado slices to prevent browning after cutting.
  • Search our blog for additional avocado recipes.
 

January 20, 2016

Cheese Sablés with Rosemary Salt

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Cheese Sablés with Rosemary Salt

Cheese Sables

January 20: National Cheese Lovers Day

Snack on something a little more sophisticated than Cheetos or Cheez-Its. Try homemade cheese sablés with rosemary salt. Sablés, which are similar to crackers, are actually crisp French butter cookies (also known as Breton biscuits) that originated from Normandy.

This recipe version is savory instead of sweet and has a distinctive Parmigiano-Reggiano plus sharp cheddar taste that cheese lovers are sure to appreciate. The rosemary and sea salt topping complements the cheesy flavors well.

On National Cheese Lovers Day, savor some cheese sablés with rosemary salt.

Recipe

(Adapted from Food and Wine)

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (see Notes)
  • 7 tablespoons butter unsalted, softened
  • ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
  • 1/3 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

In a food processor or blender, combine the flour, butter, cheeses and cayenne pepper and pulse until a crumbly dough forms.

Cheese Sables

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a log about 1 ½ inches thick. Wrap in plastic film and put in the refrigerator for about an hour or until firm. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator, unwrap and slice into 1/8 thick rounds. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about two inches apart.

Cheese Sables

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F in the middle rack for 12-15 minutes or until golden. While the sablés are baking, pound the rosemary and sea salt in a mortar until fine. Remove the sablés from the oven and sprinkle them immediately with the rosemary salt mixture. Let the sablés cool on the cookie sheets for another five minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cheese Sables

Notes

  • Make your own self-rising flour by combining 1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder. For this recipe, use 1 ½ cup flour, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder.
  • National Cheese Day is also observed June 4. Search our blog for additional recipes containing cheese as an ingredient and celebrate all things cheesy!
  • Islander recommends taking lactase enzyme supplements if one has a cheese/dairy intolerance like her.

 

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