Melt in your mouth Pot Roast.

Pot roast, warm, tender, and if done right juicy. Served with a handful of roasted potatoes, carrots, and celery... all cooked in the same pot ! Perfect during the cold weather months and perfect for entertaining ! 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 - 3 pound Beef Chuck Roast ( the more marbling the better ! )
3 medium sized Potatoes (rinsed and cubed about 1 inch thick)
3 Carrots (rinsed well and also cut 1 inch thick)
3 large stems Celery ( rinsed well, julienne to 1 inch thick)  
1 small onion ( sliced )
1/2 Cup Flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon herbs de Provence
2 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoon ground cumin
Oil for cooking
(Secret Ingredient... : Bacon Drippings ! What ever you have left from cooking about 4 tablespoons or so)

Directions 

Place Flour, Salt, Pepper into a shallow dish ( I used a small baking pan) Mix well, then place beef roast onto flour mixture, coat well, be sure to get salt and pepper coated along with the flour onto beef. This creates a barrier and seals in the juices. In a cast iron pan on high heat, brown all sides , yes including the very sides. Be sure to create a crust on all sides, takes about 8 mins. While you are browning place your veggies except the onions,  in a dutch oven, oven safe pot or deep pan with a thick bottom ( for even heat distribution ), pour some bacon dripping into the bottom of the pan , place browned chuck roast directly on bed of veggies , then season with cumin, more salt to taste, herbs de provence, then layer sliced onions right over beef and pour remaining bacon drippings over meat. Cover with a heavy oven safe lid or seal pot with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 2  1/2 - 3 hours, until beef melts apart. Serve a handful of roasted veggies and homemade gravy and enjoy !!!

Before hitting the Oven 

After cooking :) 

Plated and ready to eat ! 

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Oh, My Sweet Buns !

Ingredients 

1/2 recipe "Basic Sweet Dough"

Frosting :

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 cup Non-fat dry milk powder

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions 

Cut 8 equal parts of dough, roll each piece into small balls. Place dough balls on a lined baking sheet 1 inch apart from each other.  Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap, place in a warm area to rise, until doubled in size. Place into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 15-20 mins until tops are golden brown. Cover and cool buns, until warm. Keeping it covered will make for a softer bread. While you wait for your buns to cool, Place all ingredients for the frosting in a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Using a pastry brush, brush on frosting evenly, don't be shy !  Serve and enjoy !! 

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Adzuki Bean Buns

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Adzuki bean Paste
1/2 recipe basic sweet dough
1 egg
1 Tbsp water

Directions 

Separate 6 - 8 balls of dough. Press dough balls into small discs, then place Adzuki bean paste into the center of each disc. One by one carefully place dough with bean paste into your palm, then pinch, twist and gather dough from the sides, carefully keeping bean paste in the center. Gently pinch dough shut until all of the bean paste is concealed. Keep in the shape of small balls. Place each ball onto baking sheet lined with a non stick baking pad or parchment paper. Mix egg with water and brush each ball with egg wash. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 mins until tops are golden brown. When done baking, cover with a cloth towel and let cool. Be sure to cover to keep buns soft. Enjoy !!

 

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Adzuki Bean Paste

This sweet bean paste is typically used in Japanese confectionery, in Hawaii we have adapted it into all sorts of sweets including mochi, shave ice and Ice cream. I used the following recipe to make sweet adzuki bean buns. 

Ingredients 

1 cup, Azuki beans
Water
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

Directions

Soak the beans in water over night. Rinse beans, Use a big saucepan/pot because the amount of azuki beans will double after cooking. Put washed azuki beans in the pot and pour water till 1-2 inch above azuki beans. Turn the heat on high. When boiling, turn off the heat and cover with lid. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Drain water, Put the azuki beans back in the pot. Add enough water just to cover the beans and turn the heat on high. Once boiling, turn down the heat to medium low and keep it simmering. Once in a while push the azuki beans under the water with slotted spoon. Water will evaporate so you need to keep adding water to cover just above the beans. If you put too much water, the beans will move and break. If you need to leave the kitchen, make sure to turn off the heat. You will be cooking for 1+ hour. Pick one azuki bean and squeeze it with your fingers. If it is smushed easily, it’s done. Add sugar in 3 separate times and mix well. Turn up the heat to high and stir constantly. Even after boiling, keep the heat on high. When the consistency is thick, turn off heat. When the beans are cooled down, it will be a little harder (more solid). Add salt right before you finish mixing. Pour into a container to cool down. Do not leave it in the pot. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge to store after cool down. If you aren't planning to use it all at once, you can divide it store it into ziplocs and freeze up to a month.

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Basic Sweet Dough

This sweet dough is basic in the same sense that basic white bread is basic.  It is the bases for a variation of sweet buns, coffee cakes, turnovers and more. You can double the recipe or leave it as is, you can even store some for later use, as I did. 

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp Active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
4 Tbsp Cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
4 Tbsp softened butter
2- 2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

Directions 

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together, using just enough flour to make a dough that you can knead. Knead for 5 mins. You may use a stand mixer with the dough hook, makes it easier.   Put the ball of dough into a oiled bowl and turn dough  oiled side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk. About 1 - 2 hours, weather permitting.  Punch down the dough and use it as you please, you can make sweet buns, cinnamon rolls or like I did,  Adzuki bean buns. If you are going to store any of the dough, now is the time to do so.

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Fried Eggplant w/ lemon aioli

Aloha Nalanis Kitchen ohana, I been on a small kine break and now I am back.  My husband and I are on a vegetarian diet right now. I do this once and a while to detox and cleanse. If done right...you can get all you need from vegetables including protein. Check out this recipe for Breaded Eggplant serve with green beans, and quinoa to make it a full dinner ! 

Breaded Egg plant 

Ingredients

1 Large peeled and sliced Eggplant
Salt to drench egg plant
2 eggs
3 cups bread crumbs
1 cup flour
2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

Directions

Place peeled and sliced egg plants on a pan, coat with sea salt and let sit for 30 mins. This will draw out any extra moisture. While you are waiting for the eggplant, prepare 3 separate dishes for dipping, flour mixed with cajun seasoning on one, mixed eggs in one and bread crumbs in the last. Heat oil for frying in a large pan. Before cooking rinse off salt from eggplants, then dip each egg plant in first the flour mixture, then the egg, and finally the bread crumbs. Cook until golden brown , and place on paper towel to drain.  Continue process till all eggplants are cooked.

Lemon Aioli 

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions 

In a small bowl, place mayonnaise, finely grated lemon zest, 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Stir to combine.

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Japanese Soba Noodle Recipe

Soba noodle is made of a mixture of buck wheat and wheat flour, it is enjoyed in many ways, you can eat it cold with dipping sauce, warm in a soup, or pan fried with vegetables. A very versatile dish.

Ingredients 

2 cups Buck Wheat Flour
1 cup Wheat flour
1 cup cold water
xtra wheat flour for dusting.


Directions

In stand mixer, Combine both flours, mix well with the paddle attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer use a large bowl. Slowly add cold water into flour, mix on low speed until mixture clumps up in large pieces. Remove clumps of dough, place on floured surface. Knead dough until smooth. Flatten dough into a medium size circle and cut into four equal pieces. Each piece can make enough noodle for two people. If you are not using all of the dough, wrap tight in plastic wrap and place in fridge, up to a week. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.
Place freshly made noodles into boiling water, cook for 4 mins. Then rinse in strainer to remove the extra starch.

For Cold Soba noodle; Place noodle in chilled water to cool then strain. Place noodles on serving plate in a ball, top with green onion. Eat with dipping sauce, In a saucepan, mix flavored stock, soy sauce and mirin (sweet saké) at a ratio of 3:1:1. Mix in sugar as desired, bring to a boil, then cool.













For Soba soup; Heat up your favorite broth ( miso, chicken, or beef) Place noodles in bowl and top with shredded seaweed, roasted sesame seeds, green onion and a combination of your favorite vegetables and/or meat. Pour warmed broth into bowl over noodle and toppings and enjoy.

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