Buttermilk Pancakes <3

Posted in Breakfast by Put a Ring on Annie

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day! Since I work now, I try to eat a large and healthy breakfast, and then snack through company food throughout the day. For dinner, I try to eat a big salad to offset my food offerings of the day. It is already fall and another year has gone by without achieving the elusive flat stomach – but now I’ve got coworkers who want to motivate each other to lose the fat! More pressure = more success? I hope so!

On another note, I can’t wait to maybe have a kitchen again so I can start creating for fall recipes! Stay tuned!

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15Sep2014

Carrot Cake!!!

Posted in Sweets by Put a Ring on Annie

THANK YOU for everyones birthday wishes!!! I may not have the time to individually thank everyone, but know that each and every one of you makes my life complete. And for my birthday gift to you all, I give you a yummy carrot cake recipe that is so scrumptious it will make you so happy too! As I grow older, I realized it is less and less exciting to grow a year older, and that time really flies. Before I know it, I will be a grandma! I wish to cherish each and every moment I have with everyone – I realized this while studying for the bar and being in hermit mode for 2 months – the days are as long and great as you make it. Every day is a NEW DAY, and whatever things you didn’t do the day before can be accomplished TODAY!!! I kept telling myself that every morning as I pondered over everything I did NOT do and how much more I needed to do. But as my big test got closer and closer, I realized less pondering, and more doing. Take every day as a new day and learn to cherish every minute of it – every minute not cherished is a minute wasted. So as I begin a new age, I am hoping that I can hustle and accomplish my many goals in life, and hope to achieve them all early whilst enjoying my life in the process. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being wonderful readers and supporters :)!!! I can’t wait for this new age!

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9Sep2014

Fresh Goji Berry Juice!

Posted in Drinks by Put a Ring on Annie

Sorry haven’t posted in awhile! Been busy moving and starting a new job! Because I don’t have to buy groceries/cook for 6 months, I tried to do as much cooking/baking while still at home so I have a collection to share with you all during my stay here. I am currently living in Milpitas if anyone is wondering! So far, I really like it here – it’s cheap, I am living comfortably, and I have time to read for pleasure! I think I am still in a bit of a hermit mode because of studying for the Bar – I really am enjoying this personal time I have for myself right now and getting my shit together – it’s time to shine!!! as my best friend put it! But with this leisure time, I have found myself getting back into reading for pleasure. There are sooooo many books I want to read, re-read, and learn from them. Currently, I am finishing Tony Hsieh’s Delivering Happiness – it is about his life, successes, and thoughts leading up to the development of Zappos. I was first acquainted with this book because my friend’s boss bought her whole company the book. I was reading, waiting for her to get ready, and found myself not being able to take my eyes off of it. When I got the chance, I ordered a copy of it for myself to finish. I have to say it is written VERY well and it is so entertaining. I really enjoy reading his thoughts on life, and the things he looks for in life. He really touches upon things that my friends and I have thought about, and have done (like catching the end of an era in raving, and finding himself in his late 20s). Of course, there is a lot to learn from him – the risks he takes, the importance of building culture, and ultimately, delivering happiness to everyone in his life. It really is remarkable how many things he has achieved during his relatively young life. It is inspirational. Aside from reading that book, I got a copy of Benson Bobrick’s Master of War – a book about the short life of General George H. Thomas. My neighbor loaned his truck to deliver our new toilets to our house and on our way, he told me about this extraordinary man – at West Point, the faculty there studied war battles, and one of General Thomas’ battle during the Civil War was one of two perfect battles in history. The other was one of Napoleon’s. Unfortunately, General Thomas died about 4 years after the battle in San Francisco and was never recognized in history, until now. I can’t wait to read this, and go borrow some more books from him!

My sister picking the berries off the prickly plant!

Anyway, my aunt grows goji berries in her yard! We picked her up for dinner over the weekend and my sister and dad picked the berries off the prickly plants! We got two boxes full and I couldn’t wait to make fresh goji berry juice!!! I have seen it at Whole Foods before, but because fresh goji berries are hard to keep while fresh, people dry the berries. Usually, juice is made from soaking the dried goji berries and then blending them. But I had the luxury to blend the fresh berries and with some lime and coconut juice. Turned out delicious and I have been drinking it every day before work! It is full of antioxidants, is said to be the fountain of youth, and can treat many health problems! But definitely discuss with your doctor if you take drugs for blood pressure or diabetes as it can interact with your drugs. The juice tastes funky, but it isn’t too bad with the lime – you will get used to it!

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20Aug2014

Momofuku’s Chinese Sausage Focaccia Bread!

Posted in Appetizer, Bread by Put a Ring on Annie

Continuing to build fatness on my belly before Vegas this weekend! WOOT! Since being at home, I have not been afraid to make bread. My dad is obsessed with carbs, especially bread like me, so he gives me the courage to make bread. Bread is always a scary thing to make – it usually takes bakers awhile to get to this level. But I tell you, since making about 4 batches of bread in the span of a week, I am no longer afraid. Let me give you the courage to make a loaf! I am trying to venture into different forms of bread – I have made pretzel bread before, brioche, focaccia, and have failed many times at pizza dough. I plan to tackle that next. But anyway, I was looking at my cookbooks to freshen up my tastes, and I came across a recipe for a Chinese Sausage Focaccia bread in my beloved Momofuku NYC cookbook by Christina Tosi. I was uber excited to make it as I love Chinese sausages. I grew up eating those fine, salty things and how awesome would it be to combine it with my love of bread!

The cookbook features “Mother Dough” – the bread dough base that the head baker at Momofuku uses for most of her best selling carb items (think Bagel Bombs, croissants, focaccia, cinnamon bun, etc). Hard to believe that one dough takes care of them all, but it says right in the cookbook that it does! I can’t wait to tackle the next carb projects in her book using this loving dough. I hope you will join me too!

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18Aug2014

Iced Chai Tea ‘Latte’! – The REAL KIND

Posted in Drinks by Put a Ring on Annie

I had made a Chai Tea Concentrate in the past, but I only used Lipton tea bags to make the concentrate. Now, at home, I have access to a huge bag of real India Chai Tea leaves! I figured I would make a delicious concentrate for my sister in the morning to take to work instead of spending money at the chain coffee shops. Plus, this isn’t the sweet, bland flavored chai you get at those chain shops – this is the real deal! I placed quotations around ‘Latte’ because when coffee/chai drinks are iced, it is impossible for it to be a latte since lattes are with steamed milk hahah. Just a minor snooty thing I learned from my past as a barista. If the milk were to be steamed, and it be a hot drink, then the drink would contain some milk with light foam for it to be a latte! Thus, there is literally no point in ordering an ‘iced latte’ at coffee shops – you can just order double/single espresso over ice, and then pour milk over the counter. Same exact thing. Just fyi!

You can get the Chai Tea leaves at any Indian market!

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13Aug2014

SUN TEA!!!

Posted in Drinks by Put a Ring on Annie

I’M BAAACKK!!! Long time no see everyone!!! I hope everyones summer has been just wonderful and everyone is tan! After a long hiatus for something called the CA Bar, I am back and ready to make more delicious foods!!!! Lots of exciting things are coming up – new logo coming soon, hopefully a new website design by the end of the year, and much more easy fun recipes! I am back at home so there are tons of machines and ingredients for me to use – I am so excited! After being in a cave for so long, with no ounce of human interaction and happiness for two whole months, I am delighted to get back into shape, get a job, and learn how to cook again! More on my summer later, but what have you all been up to all summer!!!

The first day back in Lodi I was like DAMN it’s HOT!!! I sat there eating breakfast and looked out the window of my backyard. I realized tons of sun shines right outside my porch in the morning so I figured I would make some SUN TEA! What is thattttt you might ask? Well basically, instead of boiling water and steeping tea bags and then cooling it in the fridge for iced tea, I use the SUN, yes the SUN, to steep the tea!!! This way, I can save electricity and be environmentally friendly! This basically takes no effort – just find a glass bottle or large jar, and put some tea bags in, and fill it up with filtered water! Place it in the direct sun for about 3-5 hours and bring it back inside and place in the fridge. Fill it up with ice and serve! It is seriously the best thing ever. And lucky for me, when I place it right outside my porch at about 9:30am, and if I forget after about 4 or 5 hours, turns out that the sun travels past it and the teas are no longer in the direct sun. People say that if it is left out in the direct sun for more than 5 hours breeds germs and what not. Ew gross, so all you working people, do it on the weekends!

Here are some of my favorite teas!

Iced Blackberry Green Tea

Iced Passion Fruit Tazo Tea

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14Jul2014

Dutch Baby Pancake with Fresh Berries!

Posted in Breakfast, Sweets by Put a Ring on Annie

In light of Germany’s win yesterday at the World Cup, I decided to post this late post of my German pancake/Dutch baby! It is made with lots of eggs and milk and is super eggy to taste. I showed this to my friend and she asked if it was an egg pancake. Apparently our moms made these German pancakes without knowing it – my mom used to mix together a high egg to milk ratio with some flour and it was an eggy tasting pancake. Definitely not your traditional pancake. I like this because it is simple and you get to top it with whatever topping you like. I chose some berries because it is in season right now! Better get those antioxidants during bar study!

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4Jun2014

Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Chia Seeds

Posted in Breakfast by Put a Ring on Annie

My parents came down for my graduation and since we went to Utah for family vacay, we spent all of our meals at restaurants. When we got back to San Diego, all we wanted was a simple homemade meal and breakfast. Since my dad is a fantastic cook, he ended up cooking 2 dinners at my place – tons of seafood like fish, lobster and shrimp. It was definitely super relieving and comforting to eat homemade food after like 12 consecutive meals outside and 2 buffets in Vegas. I made breakfast one morning and decided on some Greek yogurt pancakes with some chia seeds for some omega-3s and some berries for antioxidents. Simple and quick and so delicious!

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2Jun2014

Tonkotsu Ramen!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch by Put a Ring on Annie

What came over me to make this tedious, yet delicious masterpiece? An intense craving after seeing countless Instagrams over the weekend of big bowls of ramen! Have wanted to make it since last year, when I made the Japanese Miso Ramen, but was too lazy to boil the bones for so long. This was definitely a tedious dish to make, a 12 hour project, but honestly, with time and patience, you too can make it. It is a standard tonkatsu broth with only salt added. The condiments in ramen, combined with the rich sticky broth, is what makes the dish. The meat and the egg were also meticulously made to compliment the dish. Fried garlic in sesame oil was also made to enhance the dish. In addition, when you are single and basically eat by yourself, you have a ton of leftovers in which it is easy to freeze the soup base and the noodles for future consumption. I am super happy with the way it turned out and I know if you follow the steps and ask yourself for patience, you can do it too! Please let me know if you do it! I will applaud and cheer for you!

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