Savory Green Onion and Egg Pancakes

I have been sick most of December with a severe cold and persistent cough that kept me awake at night. The sleep deprivation was the worst, caused by the non stop cough which got worse at nighttime. The last time I was this sick must have been over 12 years ago.

My husband was a huge help during the 18 days I was sick. He helped take care of the little man after work, grocery shopped, shopped for Christmas presents, cleaned the house and missed his company Christmas party at an upscale restaurant to take care of us. I am so grateful for his help despite his demanding work schedule.

Given my lack of energy, we had soup and congee on rotation for most of our meals. I aimed for quick, easy and simple during those 18 days. After two weeks of soup and congee, we were all ready for a break. Even though I was sick, I would think dream of foods I could eat when I got slightly better: one of things I craved was prime rib, and the other is Chinese green onion and egg pancakes.

When I was young, I would beg my late grandmother to make this green onion and egg pancake on a regular basis. My grandmother would often indulge me as she took immense pleasure in feeding those she love. Even in her last year of life, she would stand over the stove and make all my favorite dishes every time I went home to visit. Since her death over 8 years ago, I have been trying to recreate some of the recipes she used to make as we never wrote down any of her recipes.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, with only 5 ingredients that you likely already have on hand. I took a short cut and used my blender to combine all the ingredients but you can combine the ingredients by hand as well.

Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 large stalks of green onion, chopped

Canola oil

Directions
1. In a bowl or blender, mix eggs, flour, water and salt. Once the batter is fully combined, stir in chopped green onions.

2. Add half a tablespoon of canola oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is fully heated, pour/ladle in a thin layer of batter. Cook until the surface of the pancake bubbles and the other side is light golden brown.

3. Flip the pancake and cook until the underside is light golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter. Make sure to lightly coat the skillet with canola oil before ladling in batter each time. Serve as is or with hot sauce.

Source: Slightly adapted from Asia Dish 

Weekday Banana Pancakes

On my blog, you will notice that there is a lack of breakfast recipes, for good reason. That's mainly because I am not a morning person. Paying attention in the morning is a challenging task for me, at least until I have had a cup or two of caffeine.

I made this recipe a few months ago and never got around to posting it. It all came about when my little man wanted pancakes on a weekday morning. Had this been on a weekend, I would have happily pawned him off to my husband. But since it was a weekday, I had to suck it up and cook up some pancakes, at 7 am. Explaining to a hungry toddler why I don't like mornings seemed like more work to me than making the pancakes.

Luckily for me, this recipe is fairly straightforward and did not require too many steps. As I was nursing my mug of tea, I mused to myself, "Hey, this is a pretty simple recipe. I could pull this off on a weekday morning."

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vanilla, vegetable oil and bananas.

3. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry mixture until the flour is just mixed in. Do not over mix.

4. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat.

5. Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and cook the pancake until the pancake is bubbly on top.

6. Flip the pancake and cook for another minute or two until the pancake is golden brown.

Freeze/Make Ahead: Allow the banana pancakes to cool to room temperature before wrapping each stack of 5 pancakes in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped stacks of pancakes into a ziploc bag, date and freeze for up to a month.

Source: Allrecipes

4 Ingredient Microwaved Gluten-Free Bread (Ready in 3 Minutes)

Baking bread in the oven is the last thing I want to do in the summer when it is hot and sunny outside. When I came across this microwaved bread recipe on Pinterest, I was delighted. The best part about this recipe is that it is ready in 3 minutes.

This recipe was incredibly easy to whip up and required only 4 ingredients: melted butter, coconut flour, egg and baking powder. After allowing the bread to cool down a little, I sliced the bread in half and spread a little raspberry jam on each slice of bread. My little man and I both loved this quick and easy microwaved bread as it was soft and fluffy. This bread reminded me of a dense and unsweetened sponge cake both in taste and texture.

For those with gluten allergies, this recipe is effortless, made to order and a delicious alternative to expensive store-bought specialty bread.

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 large egg
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions
1. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a small microwavable bowl measuring 4.5 inches across (I used a small Pyrex glass container). Microwave for 10 to 20 seconds until melted. Swirl the melted butter around so that it coats the bowl.

2. To that same bowl, add the egg, coconut flour and baking powder. Mix thoroughly until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain.

3. Microwave on high for 90 seconds until the bread has puffed up and is firm to the touch. The bread will pull away from the bowl once it is cooked. Repeat in 15 second increments if the bread feels soft to the touch or sticks to the bowl.

4. Allow the bread to cool for a minute before loosening it with a knife. Invert the bowl and slice the bread in half. Serve with jam, honey, butter or your favorite seed butter!

Source: Slightly adapted from Healthy Recipes

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs (Easy to Peel)

One of the most basic cooking skills everyone should know is how to make hard boiled eggs. Though it is a common skill, it can be difficult to cook perfect hard boiled eggs without the dreaded green ring around the egg yolk.

This is by far the easiest and most fool-proof way to cook perfect hard boiled eggs; a handy skill to have whether you are just learning to cook or a pro in the kitchen.

Ingredients
5 Eggs
Water
A tray of ice cubes

Directions
1. Place eggs in a small pot. Fill with enough water to cover the eggs by an inch. Bring to a boil uncovered over high heat.

2. Once it reaches a boil, remove the pot from heat and cover with a lid. Set a timer for 15 minutes.

3. After 15 minutes is up, place the eggs in a bowl of cold water filled with ice cubes. Let the eggs sit in the cold water for 5 minutes.

4. Add one egg and a little bit of water to a cup. Cover the cup with one hand and tilt the cup on its side, and shake the cup in an up and down motion (highly recommended doing this over a sink). Shake for 10 to 15 seconds.

5. Take the egg out of the cup and peel. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

Source: Adapted from America's Test Kitchen and Pinterest

Sesame Noodles

The last few weeks in Vancouver have been sunny and warm. It is only early March but the sunshine is a welcomed sight and makes outdoor activities much more enjoyable. We have been taking advantage of the lovely weather by taking our little man for walks to the park.

Coming home from these walks, we are all famished and want something delicious for dinner. Since the weather has been so nice lately, I keep thinking about the peanut noodles I grew up eating on warm summer evenings.

I looked up a recipe for peanut noodles and substituted the peanut butter with seed butter (my little man is allergic to peanuts and almonds). It was gobbled up by everyone and clearly this recipe will be on my regular recipe rotation.

Delicious hot, warm or cold.

Ingredients
240 g (8 ounces) spaghetti or linguini
1 stalk green onion,sliced
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 cup seed butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup hot water
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp white sugar
1 cucumber, julienned (optional)
3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
3 eggs, divided (optional)

Directions
1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Rinse under cold water.

2. In a small saute pan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Beat an egg in a small bowl. Pour the beaten egg into the saute pan. Allow the egg to set and fold into thirds and cut into thin ribbons. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

3. In a small saucepan, cook sesame oil and green onions on low heat until the green onions sizzle.

4. Add in ginger and cook for a minute or two.

5. Stir in seed butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar and mix until smooth and incorporated. Remove from heat.

5. Pour the sauce into the pot of pasta. Toss until combined. Add the sesame noodles to each bowl, top with julienned cucumbers and egg strips. Serve with sriracha sauce.

Great for satisfying those hungry appetites!

Source: Slightly adapted from Allrecipes

Chinese Steamed Eggs

For those celebrating Valentine's Day, I hope you had a perfect day celebrating with your valentine. For those not celebrating, happy Saturday!

My little man caught another cold, so it will be a quiet Valentine's day for us. We were on FaceTime with my mom last night when she saw my little man was sniffling and coughing. She mentioned that I should make him Chinese Steamed Eggs.

I remember my mom making this for me many times when I was sick. I love the soft steamed eggs topped with green onions steamed until the eggs are fluffy. My mom would then drizzle some soy sauce and sesame oil on top.

Last year when I was sick, I tried making this without a recipe and it failed miserably. So when my mom mentioned the Chinese steamed eggs, I asked her to walk me through her recipe.

My mom said that the three essential things to make a good steamed egg are:

1. Adding a ratio of 1:1 egg and water
2. Covering the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate when the eggs are steaming
3. Steaming for exactly 10 minutes on medium heat. If you cook it too long, you will end up with tough steamed eggs; if you cook it too short, you will wind up with undercooked eggs.

I followed her tips and was rewarded with soft, perfectly fluffy steamed eggs. This is a great dish to serve to someone you love when they are sick.

Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/8 cup cold water
1 tbsp finely chopped green onions
1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
Soy sauce (optional)
Sesame oil (optional)

*Note: If you are not using soy sauce, add in a pinch of salt to step 3.

Directions
1. Boil water in a large pot with a steaming rack (or inverted bowl) over high heat.

2. In a bowl, add in olive oil and swirl the oil so it coats the bowl.

3. To the same bowl, beat eggs and water together. Top with chopped green onions.

4. Lower the bowl onto the steaming rack and place a plate that is the same size or slightly bigger than the bowl so it forms a tight seal.

5. Cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat down to medium. Steam for 10 minutes and remove the pot from heat once the 10 minutes is up. Carefully remove the plate and bowl from the pot.

6. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve immediately.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom

5 Minute Bacon Egg McMuffin

In grade 8, as part of the school curriculum, we had to take home economics. The course included Textiles (sewing) and Food and Nutrition (Cooking). I was nervous since my only experience with either was observing my grandmother or my mom.

Luckily for me, my friend Melissa was also taking Food and Nutrition at the same time and became my partner. I was ecstatic as she regularly cooked dinners at home whereas I was an expert at boiling hot dogs. The course was fun for me as Melissa did most all the prep work and cooking. My contribution to the team was fetching ingredients, stirring sauces and washing all of the dishes. At the end of the course, we were rewarded with an A+.

Did I deserve the A+? I would say no, but it did make me more confident in the kitchen, even if it was stirring the sauce. The only recipe that I learned to make from Foods and Nutrition was this egg mcmuffin recipe, which I still make to this day.

The recipe is incredibly simple and comes together in less than 5 minutes. I stock English muffins and processed cheese in my freezer which helps to curb the urge to visit the golden arches. Not to mention, it is much cheaper too and no morning line ups! So the next time you are craving egg mcmuffins, take 5 minutes and make your own. Even the most culinary challenged can master this recipe.

Serves: 1

Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 tbsp butter
1 English muffin
1 slice of processed cheese
1 strip of bacon (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Toast the English muffins in a toaster.

2. In a ramekin, melt butter on high in a microwave for 10 to 20 seconds.

3. Take the ramekin out of the microwave and swirl the butter so it coats the ramekin all around.

4. Crack an egg into the ramekin and season with salt and pepper. With a fork, poke the egg all over (this is to prevent a mini "egg"plosion). Cover the ramekin with a paper towel and microwave for 60 to 70 seconds. Remove.

5. Place 1 strip of bacon on a plate, cover with a paper towel. Microwave for 80 to 90 seconds.

6. Assemble egg mcmuffin by placing the egg on top of the English muffin. Top with bacon and processed cheese. Microwave for 10 seconds to melt the cheese.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom

How to Poach 12 Eggs at Once (Kitchen Hack)

Discovering new cooking hacks are one of my favorite things. That's why when I came across a method to poach 12 eggs at once this week, I decided that I must try this out ASAP. I first saw the tip from Food and Wine and then a few hours later from The Kitchn. You know it is a legitimate hack when it has been verified by two credible sources.

We love poached eggs and the easiest method I have found so far came from America's Test Kitchen to poach 4 eggs at once (I blogged about it here). We have been using the ATK method since last year but I have found it was difficult to poach eggs for a large crowd. If you have made eggs benedict for brunch, you know how time consuming it can be to poach eggs for a crowd.

We made eggs benedict for breakfast this morning using this tip. This tip is an easy, efficient and stress-free way to poach up to 12 eggs at once. Hakuna Matata.

The texture and taste is the same as pan poaching. The only difference is the eggs take on the shape of the muffin tins (which, if it is an issue, can be easily remedied by pouring the hollandaise sauce over the eggs). For those catering to guests who like their eggs differently, leave the eggs in the muffin tin for a few extra minutes for more well done eggs (take those out last).

Special Equipment: Muffin tin

Ingredients
Eggs
Cold Water

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place 1 tablespoon of cold water into every muffin tin (even if not using to prevent the pan from burning).

3. Crack an egg into the muffin tin. I prefer The Kitchn's tip to crack the egg into a ramekin first (in case any shells fall in) and then pour the egg into the muffin tin.

Add a tablespoon of water to each muffin tin to prevent the pan from burning.

4. Bake for 11 minutes for soft runny yolk and 13 minutes for well-cooked yolk. Scoop the egg out of the muffin tin with a spoon. Note: The eggs will continue to cook a little more in the pan after you take it out of the oven.

Top off with homemade hollandaise sauce (recipe here)

Source: Food and Wine, The Kitchn

Scrambled Eggs with Garlic Sprout Stir Fry

Many of my childhood memories evolve around my late grandmother's food. I had always taken it for granted that she will live forever and never bothered to write down any of her recipes. When she passed away suddenly 7 years ago, all the family recipes disappeared as well.

Though the recipes disappeared, I can still vividly recall the taste, the aroma and the look on my grandmother's face as I devoured her many delicious meals.

Now I am trying to recreate the recipes she had once lovingly made for me and document it on this blog. This is in part so I can share these family recipes with my little man, who I hope one day, will recreate these dishes for his own family. The other part of me is recreating these recipes to relive those wonderful memories with my grandmother.

When I saw Sharon of Nut Free Wok post a recipe on garlic sprouts, it reminded me of the scrambled eggs with garlic sprout stir-fry my grandmother made with regular frequency. After a quick visit to the grocery store, I had successfully replicated the dish. But I still think my grandmother made it better.

Ingredients
3 to 5 eggs
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil, separated
1 bunch garlic sprout, washed, trimmed to 2 inch pieces (see note below)
1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)

Author's Note: Garlic sprout or garlic scape has a mild garlic flavor that is wonderful in stir fries, sauces, pastas, among many other dishes. It can be found at Asian grocers or farmers markets during the spring time. You want to buy garlic sprouts which are green and has a firm texture. Foodista has a great article on garlic sprouts if you want more info on this delightful vegetable.

Directions
1. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.

2. Pour in a tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, scramble the eggs until it is soft and runny. Set aside.

3. To the pan, add the other tablespoon of vegetable oil and saute the garlic sprout until it is cooked but still has a firm bite to it (about 2 to 4 minutes).

4. Add in the scrambled eggs, soy sauce and saute until it is well combined. Serve immediately over rice as part of a multi-course meal.

Source: Frugal Allergy Mom