Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

With a touch of banana and no additional oil or butter, this recipe is apparently meant for bikers (since fats need more processing in the body). I just had one that was cooled down and it was pretty good. There was even a chunk of peanut butter in the middle because I used the peanut butter spoon to spoon the batter into the tins. For my upcoming week-long bike trip I think hunger levels will get to the point where they might get 5 stars...so I'll update when I get back!

• 2 eggs
• 1 mashed banana
• 1/2 c soft yogurt
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 t vanilla

• 1 3/4 c flour
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 2 t cream of tartar + 1 t baking soda (OR 1 T baking powder)
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c peanut butter
  

1. In a large bowl, mix the first set of wet ingredients.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
   
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Halfway through mixing, add the peanut butter. Mix until just combined.
   
4. Divide into 12 greased muffin tins.
   
5. Bake 200C for 20 min.
   
6. Remove immediately from pan and let cool.

Notes
These muffins rose quite nicely and came out of lightly greased tins, despite the lack of oil/butter in the batter. They also seem quite spongy. I used a cream of tartar-soda combo because I'm out of baking powder.

Mochi Jaffle Waffles - Mjwaffles!

Elisa's been showing me how to make homemade mochi balls with storebought glutinous rice flour. I was so excited I went ahead and bought my own bag. But turns out making mochi is very exciting the first time, and subsequently less so. So I used the flour in a new jwaffle recipe. They turn out much like the jwaffles but with a chewier texture.

• 1 c flour
• 1 c glutinous rice flour
  
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 T sugar
• 1 t baking soda
• 2 t cream of tartar
• 1.5 c milk
• 2 eggs
• optional for the batter: almond extract
• optional for fillings/toppings: strawberries, cinnamon,

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients and whisk together. Add extract if using.
3. Pour into preheated jaffle iron. Top with fruit or spices, if using.
4. Cook until steam stops coming out, or until desired crispiness.
5. Serve warm or cooled.
6. Repeat until batter is used up. Batter can also be refrigerated for use the next day.

Variations
Replace soda+tartar with baking powder.

Easy Chili

Cold front came in dropping from yesterday's 30C to 14C today, so just had to put something on the stove to heat up the place. Decided to use up the dark red kidney beans that have been sitting on the shelf for a while and used the recipe on the side of the can as a basis.

• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
• olive oil
• 200 g ground beef (150 NT at Wellcome)
  
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, diced (with liquid)
  
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 T Chinese chili powder
• 1 T cayenne pepper

1. Heat oil in a pan and cook the onion, bell pepper and beef until the meat is no longer pink.
2. Drain.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, paste and spices. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to low and cook for one hour.
4. Serve with biscuits (or jwaffles).

Variations
Substitute pinto beans for kidney beans.

Chilli II

2015: Have been making a chili with a tomato sauce and it's loads better. The spices vary but are at the least garlic, chili and cumin.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 heaping t minced garlic
• 3 t cumin
• 2 t mexican chili
• 1/2 t ground coriander
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/2 t basil
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can tomato sauce
• salt + pepper

Lava Cakes

Molten chocolate cakes are cake on the outside and yummy, oozing gooeyness waiting to pour out on the inside. They can be prepared ahead of time and baked 15-20 minutes before you plan on eating them. This makes 2 very large servings - better to serve with ice cream for 4. An electric beater comes is a must so as to incorporate enough air into the batter.

2/4/21 Whipped this up quickly after dinner as a treat. I've made this before and overcooked it (so it came out as cake). This time I stuck to 15 min and it came out just right. The cake batter was also thicker than last time (maybe the Canadian flour?) - but still edible.
8/24/23 Used chocolate chunks and doubled recipe to make 4 ramekins worth.

• 85 g butter
• 108 g rich dark chocolate (half the bar plus one square) OR 100 g chocolate chunks - 70% dark 
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/8 c flour
• 1/2 T cocoa powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t vanilla
• optional: 1/2 t instant coffee granules

1. Generously grease 2 large ramekins.
2. In a small pan, over very low heat, melt the butter and chocolate pieces, stirring often. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar for 7 minutes.
4. Add the flour, cocoa, salt, vanilla and coffee. Beat for 2 minutes.
5. Slowly add the chocolate mixture and beat for another 5 minutes.
   
6. Pour into ramekins, 3/4 full. Refrigerate, if desired to bake at a later time.
7. Bake on a cookie sheet at 190C/375F for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and mostly dry on top.
8. Rest for 3 minutes.
9. Invert onto plates. Serve warm.

Mini Baked Custards

This recipe is based on one from one of my favorite cookbooks, Going Solo in the Kitchen. The book is catered to those cooking for one - so has smaller amounts for just one or two people. This one came out closer to how I remember making it as a kid - though I think my ramekins are a bit bigger than what the recipe calls for, so mine ended up shallower. May need to double or 1.5x the recipe for next time.

• 2 eggs
• 2-3 T sugar
• dash of salt
• 3/4 c hot milk
• 1/4 t vanilla
• nutmeg
• boiling water

1. Beat the eggs, sugar and salt together until well combined, about 1 min.
2. Pour the hot milk in slowly, mixing constantly.
3. Add the vanilla.
4. Pour the custard through a sieve into 2 custard cups.
5. Sprinkle the surface with nutmeg.
6. Places the cups in an 8x8 dish and pour boiling water to halfway up their sides.
7. Bake at 180C until edges are firm. (Recipe calls for 25-30 min, but mine took 50 min).
8. Immediately remove from water bath and place on rack to cool.
9. Refrigerate.

Spinach Garlic Pasta with Cheese

Whipped this one up for lunch. Tasty! For spinach, I used "bo cai", which has a long stem and fairly big leaves. The flavor comes from the garlic, spinach and the cheese's salt. Without cheese, I'd add a bit of salt and pepper.

• leftover pasta for 2
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 t oil
• spinach/greens, fresh - a health dose, chopped
  
• grated parmesan
• fresh mozzarella

1. Heat oil in small pan.
2. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Add spinach. Stir, cooking until wilted.
4. Add pasta. Heat through.
5. Sprinkle parmesan and add slices of mozzarella.
6. Serve immediately.

Variations
Throw in cut up ham (obviously no longer a vegetarian meal).