Pecan Chia Pudding

I wanted to try out some chia pudding, and we also had some cashew milk I wanted to use up, so I decided to make a chia pudding with cashew milk. We also had some pecans around, and I do like Pecan Pie, so why not make something similar? Sounds like a good idea to me! Just mix together most of the ingredients, place the mixture into your serving container, and spoon some of the sweet pecan mixture on top. We refrigerated and enjoyed these pecan pie chia puddings the next day to really let the chia seeds hydrate. Enjoy!

Do you prefer dairy milk or nut milks?

Pecan Chia Pudding

by CJ Huang

A lightly sweetened chia pudding with a sticky pecan topping - perfect as a dessert and healthy enough for breakfast!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 10 minutes + hydrating time
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
220 grams	7.75 ounces	1 cup		cashew milk
47 grams	1.625 ounces	1/4 cup		chia seeds
		4 tablespoons		maple syrup
		1 teaspoon		cinnamon
		1 teaspoon		vanilla extract
52 grams	1.75 ounces	3/8 cup		pecans, chopped

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Stir together cashew milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
	3. Stir in chia seeds.
	4. Coat chopped pecans with remaining maple syrup.
	5. Transfer chia mixture into serving containers and spoon (or fork if you're like me and don't want to wash another spoon) pecan mixture on top. Serve, or refrigerate to allow chia seeds to more fully hydrate.

Mexican Corn Salad

A while back, I made some Elote since we had gotten some corn on the cob. We really enjoyed it, but we didn't have fresh ears of corn anymore, so I thought I could make something with corn kernels. These flavors work perfectly as a Mexican corn salad, and my favorite part? It's super easy to make! I'm always a fan of easy and yummy. Aren't you? You simply put all the materials together and mix. If you wanted even more yumminess, you could grill the corn first for that delectable grilled flavor. Either way, you've got a quick and easy Mexican corn salad!

What's your favorite dish to eat in salad form?

Mexican Corn Salad

by CJ Huang

A Mexican corn salad full of the yumminess of Elote - cotija cheese and chipotle mayo combined with sweet corn.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
526 grams	18.675 ounces	2 cups		corn kernels
57 grams	2 ounces	1/4 cup		chipotle mayo
73 grams	2.675 ounces			Cotija cheese, grated
		2 tablespoons	1	lime, juiced
		4 teaspoons		cilantro
		1 teaspoon		onion powder
		2 teaspoons	2 cloves	garlic, minced
		1 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine all materials.

Mango Sticky Rice

Mango sticky rice is made from sticky, or glutinous rice. It's actually a different type of rice, and not just rice made sticky with more water. This short grained rice naturally sticks more when cooked. Thus, it's called glutinous rice for its sticky characteristics and not its gluten content. In fact, glutinous rice doesn't contain any gluten at all! The stickiness of this rice is due to the higher amounts of amylopectin and little or no amylose. The amylopectin causes the rice to be more sticky and is due to a single mutation farmers selected for. In Thailand, this rice is a staple grain.

Now that you've learned a little bit about glutinous rice, I'm going to go into how sweet coconut sticky rice is made. This coconut sticky rice is commonly used as a base for the mango sticky rice dessert. Making this rice is very simple and straightforward. Simply soak or wet the rice, and then steam it. Once it is cooked, mix in the coconut milk, top with some mangoes, and you're good to go!

What's your favorite Thai dessert?

Mango Sticky Rice

by CJ Huang

Find out how to make the delectable mango sticky rice. Includes how to make coconut sticky rice, the basis of many Thai desserts.

Prep time: 10 minutes + soak time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes + soak time
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		3 cups		glutinous rice, uncooked
		13.5 ounces	1 can	coconut milk
			1	mango, sliced
		3/4 cup		sugar	optional

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Soak the rice overnight in water about an inch higher than the rice. An alternative if you’d like to make this rice on the same day is to just dip the rice in (preferably hot) water, although it will take a bit longer to cook.
	3. Steam the rice. I used a bamboo steamer lined with cheesecloth, but any steaming method will work. The cheesecloth was simply to keep the grains from falling through the gaps and may or may not be needed depending on your hardware. The rice is cooked until it turns translucent and chewy. If you only dipped the rice in water, it will take a bit longer to cook, but if you soaked the rice overnight, it should take no more than 10 minutes or so.
	4. Meanwhile, dissolve sugar in coconut milk over heat.
	5. While the rice is still hot, mix the coconut milk into it. It is important to perform this step while the rice is still hot so that it has a chance to soak up the coconut milk and flavor.

Mini Vanilla Wafers

Ever since seeing this recipe on Baking Bites, I've wanted to make Vanilla Wafers. I know it's been a few months, but it's stayed in the back of my mind. Then, I recently got a piping kit. Yay for $5 thrift store finds! I figured now's a good a time as any, so I just went ahead and made some of these mini vanilla wafers. You could go for the original, using a plain tip (or a bag with the corner cut off). However, since I'd just gotten the piping kit, I wanted to try out ALL the tips. :) My favorite? The one with all the little spikes pointing slightly inward. After they baked, they look a bit fancier and without any extra effort. Win! Make mini vanilla wafers or make regular sized ones. Either way, make some! James said they taste kinda like the store-bought ones, but better. But isn't that how home made works?

What's your favorite DIY recipe?

Mini Vanilla Wafers

by CJ Huang

Basic mini vanilla wafers you can make at home.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: lots

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		1/2 cup		butter
75 grams		1/3 cup		sugar
		1/4 cup		brown sugar
			1	egg
		1 tablespoon		vanilla extract
160 grams		1.3 cups		flour
		1/2 teaspoon		baking powder

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Cream together sugar, brown sugar, and butter.
	3. Beat in remaining materials.
	4. Scoop dough into a bag, and squeeze onto a baking tray. I wanted to try a few different shapes, but you could easily go with lots of shapes or just one.
	5. Bake at 325F for 10 minutes.

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Traffic Jam, Handmade and Otherwise, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Saturday Sparks, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Tuesdays at Our Home, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Inspire Me Monday

Chili Lime Kale Chips

Kale chips, made more awesome with a spicy lime flavor.

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

One of our favorite berries are strawberries, and we both like balsamic. I'd made a Balsamic Strawberry Galette before, and I wanted something similar. However, we'd just purchased lots of salad materials so a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette sounded good. And since we had a cooler day, I figured I could fire up the oven and make roasted strawberries and a roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. Because roasting just brings out the awesome. Roasting does take a bit longer, so if you'd prefer, you can skip the roasting and go for a fresh strawberry balsamic salad dressing. You might want to cut the strawberries smaller or use a food processor or blender since the fresh fruit won't mash as well as the roasted. Either way, give it a try!

What's your favorite "fruity" salad dressing?

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

by CJ Huang

Perfectly pair roasted strawberries and balsamic vinegar in a sweetly tangy roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
74 grams			4	strawberries
		1.5 teaspoons		mustard
		2 tablespoons		balsamic vinegar
		2 tablespoons		olive oil
		1/2 teaspoon		five spice

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Roast strawberries at 450F for 15 mintues.
	3. Combine all materials, and mash to desired consistency.

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Handmade and Otherwise, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Saturday Sparks, Traffic Jam, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Tuesdays at Our Home, Inspire Me Monday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Party in Your PJs, Homestead Blog Hop

Spicy Caramelized Onions

Sweetly smoky caramelized onions with a bit of heat.

Basic Pizza Crust

We had a hankering for pizza and some extra time, so I figured I could go ahead and make a basic pizza crust. I like this pizza crust even though it is so simple and straightforward (or should I say, because it's so simple and straightforward)! Since this is a basic pizza crust, it goes well with just about any pizza, and you can easily customize it when you're making your pizza. Since it does take a while to make the crust, I sometimes like to make enough for a few crusts and then freeze for later.

What's your favorite kind of pizza?

Basic Pizza Crust

by CJ Huang

A basic pizza crust made from scratch and suitable for just about any pizza. Make a few extra and freeze!

Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: optional
Total time: 60 minutes
Yield: 2 pizzas

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		4 cups		flour	I used half whole wheat and half white.
		2 teaspoons	1 packet	yeast
		1 teaspoon		salt
		1 tablespoon		sugar
	12 ounces			milk, warm

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Form Dry Team by combining flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.
	3. Add in milk, mixing until dough formed. You may need to add a bit more milk or flour to form the dough.
	4. Cover the dough, and let it sit in a warm spot until doubled in size. Freeze for later use or roll out and make a pizza! (Optional - I like to pre-bake my pizza crusts since it results in a more crisp crust.)

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Traffic Jam, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Handmade and Otherwise, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Tuesdays at Our Home

Salmon Fried Rice

We hadn't made fried rice in a while, and we both had a hankering for it, so I decided to make some. And then I went for Salmon Fried Rice since it was Saturday - seafood day. Two birds and all, right? I know last time, I said Fried Rice is good for using up ALL the things. However, it's also good when the refrigerator's empty. Just some eggs, rice, and mixed frozen vegetables, and you're good to go! (And in this case, salmon. Because you know, Salmon Fried Rice. A quick and enjoyable meal. Only thing I forgot was adding a bit of leftover bok choy into the mix. Yummy!

What's your favorite fried rice add in?

Salmon Fried Rice

by CJ Huang

Quick, simple, and healthy. Make this Salmon Fried Rice with leftover odds and ends or when you're low on groceries.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
393 grams		3 cups		rice, cooked and cooled	I used a mixture of white rice, brown rice, and barley.
194 grams	6.843 ounces		2	salmon fillets, cubed
			2	eggs
		1 teaspoon		ginger, grated
171 grams	6.032 ounces			vegetables, diced
		1 tablespoon		soy sauce
		1 tablespoon		green onions, sliced	optional, for garnish

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Slightly scramble eggs.
	3. Mix in rice and soy sauce, making sure to fry the rice a bit.
	4. Make a hole in the middle and add in salmon.
	5. When salmon is mostly done, add in veggies, and cook until everything heated.

Linked to: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Traffic Jam, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Handmade and Otherwise, Saturday Sparks, What's for Dinner?, Over the Moon, Hearth and Soul, Inspire Me Monday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Tuesdays at Our Home, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Party in Your PJs, Your Whims Wednesday, Homestead Blog Hop

Coconut Walnut Bars

Since we're all about great timing around these parts, we decided to try the "no added sugar" thing while James was at Jumpmaster school. You know, so I'd have to make all his snacks and stuff when we're already busy and short on time. Like I said, we're all about great timing around here. With everything going on, I went for simple when making these coconut walnut granola bars. Obviously coconut shreds and walnuts; some dried dates for sweetness and binding, and a bit of oatmeal for bulk and keeping everything together. Throw it into a food processor, squish it into a baking dish, bake, and you've got some simple flavorful coconut walnut bars (with no added sugars)! I only made 5 bars this time since I wanted to try out the recipe, but you could easily scale up the recipe to increase efficiency. :)

What are some of your favorite granola ingredients?

Coconut Walnut Bars

by CJ Huang

Make your own super simple coconut walnut bars with dried dates for a bit of sweetness.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 5 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
56 grams	2 ounces	1/2 cup		walnuts
46 grams	1.625 ounces		7	dried dates
		1/2 cup		oatmeal
		1/4 cup		coconut shreds	I used unsweetened.
		5/8 cup		water

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Pulse together walnuts, coconut, and oatmeal until crumbly.
	3. Add in dates, and continue to pulse together.
	4. Add in water until all materials stick together.
	5. Press firmly into a greased baking dish. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes.

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Fiesta Friday, Saturday Sparks, Meal Plan Monday, Traffic Jam, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Tuesdays at Our Home, Inspire Me Monday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Homestead Blog Hop, Your Whims Wednesday, Party in Your PJs