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Cruise Ship Desserts

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:41:16 GMT

DSC00800
Originally uploaded by hanabatake

A few weeks ago, I took my first cruise.

Even though the seas were rough, my appetite was not really bother enough for me to forgo dessert.

At the larger, more formal dinners in the evening, we were given several options for dessert, but some were available all 5 nights. The Chocolate Melty Cake was truly enchanting.

It consisted of a chocolate batter that was baked, leaving the top spongy, but the center a fudgey gooey consistantcy that was deliciously rich.

I did enjoy the extra calories, even though it means that I have to pay for it at the gym now.

It totally was worth it.

Grilled Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:52:26 GMT

I'm on a diet.

Having said that, yesterday I needed some protein and carbs so I could go work out and clean the house.

So for breakfast, I had a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich.

To make it healthier I used the following ingredients:
1. Wheat bread (go fiber!)
2. Peanut butter
3. Smart heart faux butter
4. Banana

After peanut buttering two slices of wheat bread, I dropped in 1/2 a teaspoon of butter in a pan on HIGH. I cut up a quarter of a banana in thin slices to cover one slice with fruit. Close the sandwich and drop it in the pan, rubbing it into the faux butter until as crispy brown as you like your grilled sandwiches.

Repeat on the other side.

Turn off the heat and enjoy with skim or low fat milk.

It was good energy, yo.

Sans Rival

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 05:43:05 GMT

Sans Rival
Originally uploaded by deinin

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was filled with love and food.

My family usually has a big extended family Thanksgiving the evening of the great day. We play catch up with all the cousins and see new babies and eat lots of yummy food.

The next day, my sisters, brother, and parents have a smaller party just for us.

And this year, we had a great dessert. Sansrival.

Oh, oh evil buttercream frosting. Why do you taunt me so?

This is a Filipino dessert that takes meringue torte and adds in the temptation of buttercream AND nuts.

It is evil.

It is heaven.

It's like 400+ calories per freakin' serving, but I won't think about that.

I've been reading online about how hard this is to make since you have to bake each thin layer of meringue and then delicately add in the filling and nuts, but if a homemade Sansrival turns out as good as the one from Goldielocks, then I'm going to be making this piece of heaven myself from now on.

The butter flavor is not overwhelming as the buttercream is light and fluffly. It's the combination of crunchy meringue and nuts that is so satisfying. It's a cake with texture and flavor.

This is a cake best served cold --even frozen as my uncle suggested. It's perfect with a cup of tea (no sugar needed when eating this!) or coffee. The cool crunch is really fabulous.

While I did have a piece of pumpkin pie on Thursday night, Friday night's dessert of Sansrival truly had no rival (Um, that's what Sans Rival means, btw.).

So I hope you all had a fabulous Turkey day. I gained a few pounds, I think, but in the end it was totally worth it.

Plus, I'm waking up early tomorrow to try to work some of it off. Um. really.

Peanut Butter & Honey - Toasted

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:17:15 GMT

Alas, I am trying to restrain myself. Halloween is here and candy abounds.

The fact is that there is toooo much candy. I need to stay away.

So to block myself from temptation, I have switched to another, more wholesome snack.

1. Take wheat bread - 1 to 2 slices, depending on your hunger.
2. Add peanut butter to bread.
3. Stick peanut buttered slices in toaster oven (peanut butter side up, of course).
4. Toast till peanut butter starts to form a golden brown crust (I usually put it to MED on mine).
5. Take out toast and drizzle honey.
6. Fold OR put together the slices.

Enjoy along with a glass of milk or tea.

Cafe Sojourner Flourless Chocolate Torte

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 05:33:50 GMT

I'm on a road-trip to Santa Barbara. I've actually never been here before, but this afternoon, we went to see the ocean. The smell of salt and sea isn't my favorite, but I love seafood. Strangely enough however, I had fried chicken at the Santa Barbara Wharf restaurant Moby Dick.

But for dinner, Sat and I had dessert.

I haven't really indulged in dessert in a long while, so we searched online for a place with amazing desserts in Santa Barbara. We found it at the Cafe Sojourner.

I'm in love with this flourless chocolate torte. Combined with the coffee (cafe sojourner's signature coffee - layered chocolate, coffee, milk, and whipped cream), I was in choco-heaven.

The top of the torte was decorated with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar, stenciled in a delicate pattern, but that wasn't what I will remember. The torte was a rich burst of flavor. Each bite was decadently rich. Not too sweet, the richness took full advantage of the complex nature of chocolate. Sweet blended into bitterness and the texture melted in my mouth.

It's a must-eat dessert if you visit Santa Barbara.

Summer Desserts - Halo Halo

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 02:31:22 GMT

I've moved to the desert. It's hot. God, it's hot. I realize I haven't posted in a while. I've been a bit busy with conventions and moving and stuff like that.

I actually like the cold better than the heat, but with the advent of air conditioning, I think I'll survive. It's very cold in the winter time, so I'll have plenty of time to enjoy the chill.

Our neighbors here are very friendly though and today one of our friendly neighbors sent over some Halo-Halo, one of my favorite Filipino desserts.

It's a variation of shaved ice. A mixture of preserved fruits, red beans, ect., are placed in the bottom of a tall glass. Shaved ice is added on top. Sometimes (as in the deluxe version) ice cream and ube is added on top with evaporated milk added to the mix.

Then... you take a spoon and mix it.

There's nothing better on a hot day. The fruit, milk, and ice are so refreshing.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 05:57:14 GMT

My oh my, I haven't posted any new desserts in a while.

Sadly, I have been trying to cut down on my carbs. I realize this is hard to do since I am particularly obsessed with dessert.

Anyway, my dad made a quick pineapple upside down cake using yellow cake mix, canned pineapples and preserved cherries. He arranged all of the fruit on the bottom of the pans then poured the mix into the pans. I guess he learned it from his days as a US Navy chief.

The yellow cake is moisten even further by the fruit.

Once the cake is baked, he flipped it onto a plate and it looked lovely.

So.

I ate some.

....

And it was good.

Go Carbs.

Just add milk

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 05:29:20 GMT

I love custard. I think it's from my halcyon childhood days, eating leche flan made with 18 yolks, condensed milk, and lots of love (and secret spices that I cannot reveal here) made by my daddy. My sister makes a mean flan, too.

Anyway, the rich velvet feel of creamy custard. God.

But since I'm trying to watch my diet a bit (insert sighing and weeping here), I have forgone the wonderful taste of my dad's secret leche flan recipe. That does not stop my father from making it in hopes of tempting me.

Luckily I have a way to "dispose" of such goodies.

I just bring the flan to work. It's gone within a few days. \^o^/

BTW, I tried a Fluffernutter for the first time. Now that's evilly good. I must get others to eat it and save me from scarfing the lot of it over the next few days. ;_; I just KNOW the marshmallow cream is calling me why I type up my reports.

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:15:41 GMT

I turned 30 last month. Actually, it was anticlimactic. I don't feel any different.

Anyway, one of my friends turned 30 about 2 weeks before me, so we had a small dinner to celebrate. One of my friends had given me a s'more maker for Christmas a few years ago, but I never had an occasion to use it.

But this time, I brought it to the dinner. We lit up a gel warmer thing and fired up the marshmallows using fondue forks.

I have never really eaten a s'more. I mean, I've gone camping and had toasted marshmallows, but never did the s'more thing.

While some of my friends waxed eloquent about the sugar sandwiches, I was reluctant. I mean, it's just sugar + chocolate + sugar + bread-sugar.

I took a bite. The chocolate, gram cracker, and marshmallow burst on my tongue. Yes, it was delicious.I turned 30 this past weekend. Actually, it was anticlimactic. I don't feel any different.

Anyway, one of my friends turned 30 about 2 weeks before me, so we had a small dinner to celebrate. One of my friends had given me a s'more maker for Christmas a few years ago, but I never had an occasion to use it.

But this time, I brought it to the dinner. We lit up a gel warmer thing and fired up the marshmallows using fondue forks.

I have never really eaten a s'more. I mean, I've gone camping and had toasted marshmallows, but never did the s'more thing.

While some of my friends waxed eloquent about the sugar sandwiches, I was reluctant. I mean, it's just sugar + chocolate + sugar + bread-sugar.

I took a bite. The chocolate, gram cracker, and marshmallow burst on my tongue. Yes, it was delicious. A heady combination of sweetness and...more sweetness.

But, I can honestly say I could go on living without having MORE.... Maybe I'm too old to appreciate it. It might be something that is imprinted on a child. The taste more nostalgic than addictive.

That being said, it was yummy. Maybe I'll have s'more, um, after hiking in the woods and camping (which I will probably never do).

Though, I do like the thought of chocolate drizzled popcorn balls.

Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 21:17:21 GMT

Hm, well that's the name of the 7th HP book.

But this is a dessert blog, so I shall discuss something else.

Director Stephanie Sheh sent over a holiday gift to our offices. Belgium Waffles & cakes!

An authentic Belgium waffle, I learned on NPR's Splendid Table, actually has bits of sugar in it that crunch when you eat it. It's heavier, more like a cake than a waffle.

So when I scurried over to the desk of death (where all the holiday treats go to tempt staffers), and bit into one of the treats, I gasped in joy. This was the REAL DEAL! Crunchy bits and cake-y consistency.

The gift basket had chocolate covered ones as well as the plain one, both of which had the crunchy bits. I know. I tried them both...

Anyway, now I have tried them I can say, "Those waffles ain't Belgium." when I go to IHOP. Or... I'll just stick to the Original Pancake House. They've got the best batter anyway.

Happy Holidays All!
<3 Ardith

Not really dessert

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:49:40 GMT

But sweet none the less.

I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They just bring to mind childhood and innocence. And yummy stuff.

So now that I'm laying off on the red meats that go moo, I've decided to eat more pb&j 'wiches.

Now, there are tons of places that will tell you how they think the perfect peanut butter & jelly sandwiches are made. Here is my perfect peanut butter & jelly:

2 slices of bread (wheat is better for you)
peanut butter
Jelly or honey
toaster oven

Take bread and spread peanut butter on 1 side of both pieces.
Put bread into toaster oven, peanut butter side up.
Toast on MED.

CAUTION: it will come out really hot. A spatula might be useful here.

Spread jelly or honey on one piece of bread, on top of the peanut butter. cover this with the other slice so peanut butter face meets the jelly/peanut butter face.

Cut in half.

Enjoy with milk or unsweetened tea.

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 03:43:55 GMT

Back from my parents house. I spent this weekend going to my younger cousin's baby's 2nd b-day party. If that wasn't a mouth full, I don't know what is.

I love going to parties in San Diego. The kids in my neighborhood used to call them fob parties. I guess that's kind of racist, but really we were re-appropriating the word into a post-post-modernist way and utilizing it for self-empowerment. Hm, or something.

I was born in the Philippines and moved to Hawaii when I was around 2. I guess that is who most people would define as a "fob." Of course, if someone who isn't a fob called me one, I think I'd scratch their eyes out and kick butt. Or just give them the bitch-look. People tell me it's really cold.

Anyway, on to dessert.

My favorite Filipino sweet treat is halo-halo. Like Taiwanese Shaved Ice, it has several layers of sweet preserved fruits with ice and a dairy liquid that = love. The difference is the Filipino one uses evaporated milk instead of condensed milk and the goal is to mix everything up. Oh, I didn't mention that Halo-Halo means mixed, did I?

BUT that was not at the party. It's really a summer thing anyway.

What I ended up savoring some very tasty puto. Puto is a rice bread/muffin. It's slightly sweet and can be topped with yummy stuff like coconut.

Wild and crazy girl I am, I do like to eat it with savory things. Although there was a tasty Dinuguan at the party, I kept thinking about cholesterol. And that I'd rather just eat more dessert than have the blood stew kill my calorie count.

I mean, saving calories for dessert is the best reason to not drink soda or juice. Really! That's 100 calories A CAN! Just water for me.

And dessert.

Oh, my other much loved dessert was a jack-fruit, taro root, and mochi ginataan. Ginataan is anything stewed with coconut milk. You can have ginataan shrimp, fish, chicken, anything really. But the lovely dessert ginataan can be made with sweet fresh corn just cut from the cob and slow cooked over low heat (my special favorite).

On a cool autumn night, the sweet stew really hits the spot.

Then you can just go to sleep, warm and safe in the knowledge that you have tasted heaven.

Tofu Cheesecake Parfait

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:10:13 GMT

I love parfait. Especially if it has cornflakes in it. Especially, especially if it has TOFU CHEESECAKE on top of that!

Yesterday, I spent the day with my bff Nay. We went to watch Stranger than Fiction (which I admit made me cry a little) and eventually found ourselves at the Curry House in Torrance.

After eating a lovely chicken katsu curry (tastes like chicken...and curry), I ordered the parfait. Even though my tummy was awfully full, I knew there was space for that. Nay and her husband and I dug in. The mixture of Tofu cheescake, ice cream and cornflakes in the first 3 layers (wait, I left out the whipped cream!), was heavenly.

The fluffy, soft tofu tastes like the lightest cheesecake you have ever eaten. Not too sweet, but lingering on your tongue. The mixture of vanilla and the crunch of the corn flakes always sparks happiness in my soul, as all good desserts should.

Although, I'm not too fond of the slightly bitter coffee jelly layer, I dig past it to get to the next level of tofu cheesecake I know is waiting for me at the bottom from past dalliances with the dessert. Unfortunately, this time they didn't put a second scoop in. *tear* It was ice cream again, but no matter. I'm sure I was basking in the afterglow from the first scoop the rest of the night.

Food Blogging

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 01:56:06 GMT

I've been neglecting LJ. Mostly cuz I have a website already! But I was thinking about food (as I often do). Maybe I'll use this as a food blog. Hmmm. Food.

Laundry = Zen

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 00:28:40 GMT

I realized while I was washing laundry that one should really try to maximize one's time. Perhaps a laundry/gym sort of thing. I mean, 25 minutes of cardio, followed by transfering your wash into a dryer, then another 20 minutes of weight training, then folding your clothes type of deal.

Anyway, I did an 2 hours at the gym, went to do my laundry, and went home. It took 4 hours to do all of this. Now, come on! I'm sure that I can work on a work out AND do laundry. I mean, you have to do laundry at least every other week, right? Right?

My ipod is charged.

Tomorrow's do to list:
1) Wash car
2) Clean desk
3) Perhaps gym again.

I'm trying to get back into the gym thing. I let it slide for too long. *laugh* They say if you can do something everyday for 2 weeks, it becomes habit. Hopefully I can keep it up.

Comic-Con

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 21:02:09 GMT

Back from Comic-Con.

Met Joss Whedon.

Got signboard from Watsuki-sensei.

Tired.

Oh, and E'S is coming out in January. It's going to be KICK ASS.

Credit Report

Sat, 17 Jun 2006 06:01:39 GMT

Just finished watching 20/20.

Things that I need to do:

1) Call 888-5-OPTOUT to stop getting stupid credit card appliations in the mail. Too many people can use fraudish-voodoo and try to take my identity.

2) Visit annualcreditreport.com and get credit report.

Idenity Theft = scary.

-_-

Sat, 27 May 2006 07:24:02 GMT

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