Peanutty Sesame Noodles

Hi guys!
So I'd like to start out my post by saying this: I HATE PEANUT BUTTER. I have never liked it. I don't like the texture, the flavor, the smell, anything. I don't like Nutella because of the texture as well, which many think is a crime against humanity. However, Nutella is good baked into things, especially cookies (you aren't getting that recipe today, though!). Anyway, back to peanut butter, the only recipe I like it in is this one: Peanutty Sesame Noodles.

I got the recipe from my mom's Trader Joe's Cookbook. It's super easy and delicious. Luckily, if you don't live near a Trader Joe's, the only ingredient that I get from there is this:

Trader Joe's Soyaki Sauce. It's got sesame seeds in it, which is nice, and I use it on plenty of other things. It's very good. However, you could probably find a replacement at your local supermarket. The rest of the ingredients are basic, and you can get them at Safeway or whatever.

So anyway, first you boil a large pot of salted water and cook some thin spaghetti according to your package instructions. Next you whisk together the peanut butter, the soyaki sauce, and some sesame oil.

When that's nice and smooth, whisk in some water. It should look like this:

Next, shred some carrots and slice a cucumber. I used my food processor for this. It's very handy. I love my food processor.

Finally, chop up a few green onions and crush some roasted peanuts (not shown because I forgot to buy them). When the pasta is done, drain it, and put it back into the pot. Mix it with the sauce and the vegetables, and top it with the green onions and peanuts.

I like to top it with some sesame seeds, but you could do whatever you want. The recipe suggests adding tofu or chicken to make a complete meal, but I like it just fine the way it is. It's great for lunch the next day, as well :).

Here's the recipe (I like to double it):

Easy Peanutty Noodles

Ingredients:

8 oz. spaghetti noodles

1/4 cup Trader Joe's soyaki

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup water

1 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup sliced cucumber

2 green onions (chopped)

1/4 cup roasted peanuts (crushed)

Instructions:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.
2. Whisk Soyaki, peanut butter, and sesame oil until blended.
3. Add water and mix well.
4. Pour sauce over noodles and toss until noodles are evenly coated. Add carrots and cucumber. Toss gently.
5. Top with green onions and crushed peanuts.
6. Eat.

Source: Cooking With All Things Trader Joe's

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies

Salted caramel is a trend in the food world right now. Everywhere you go, there's salted caramel mochas, salted caramel cupcakes, salted caramel candies, and I love it all :).
The salt does a nice job of balancing out the sweetness of the caramel, and in a way makes the flavor come through that much more.
Yesterday I had a strong urge to bake so I made these delicious cookies, which didn't even last a full day at my house. And most of my family is supposed to be on a diet. My mom didn't like these, because she doesn't like salted caramel, but everyone else gobbled them up. Go figure.

I found the recipe via Tastespotting, which is a website where users can share recipes. The photographs are all so beautifully done that I would have no business posting there, but I get recipes from there all the time! The cookies were absolutely delicious. They're best fresh out of the oven, but if you eat them when they're cool, they're still delightful. I also found that if you heat them up in the microwave for 20 seconds, they get the same melted effect.

Here's the recipe:

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 20-24 cookies 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1 stick butter, softened 
1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 

6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 
1/2 tsp. baking soda 
20-24 chocolate-covered caramel candies (such as Rolos), unwrapped 
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. kosher or sea salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix together until well blended. Add flour, cocoa powder and baking soda; mix well.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
4. Roll dough into balls and place 1 chocolate-covered caramel candy in the center of each dough ball. Form the dough ball around the candy and roll each in sugar. 
5. Place on ungreased baking sheet and compress slightly with the bottom of a dry measuring cup. Sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt, if desired. (This really brings out the sweetness of the caramel)
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
7. Eat.

Source: The Comfort of Cooking

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Everyone I've met loves macaroni and cheese. In fact, I'm sure 99% of the population loves macaroni and cheese, and the remaining 1% are vegans or lactose intolerant. And, to be honest, I do love the Kraft macaroni and cheese that is in the shapes of cartoon characters (in fact, that's the only way I'll eat it), but this is only appropriate at certain times. Make it when you're babysitting, or when it's finals week, or when you can't afford to eat anything else, but do not make it at any other time.
My recipe is SO much better. It barely deserves to share the same name as Kraft mac & cheese. It's made with the stovetop AND the oven. First, you make your sauce and mix it with some pasta, and then you toast breadcrumbs and put them on top. Finally, you bake it in a casserole pan until it's all brown and bubbly :).

I could eat this all day. And, if you have any, the leftovers are great for lunch :). And apparently fried mac and cheese, although I've never had that. Maybe I'll try it out one day. The above photo is from the most recent time I made this, when I used cheddar cheese and parmesan and penne pasta. Below, I used white cheddar, jack and cream cheese and elbow pasta.

Anyway, here's my recipe:

Amanda’s Awesome Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 pound shaped pasta

Handful kosher salt

½ stick butter

¼ cup flour

2 ½ cups milk/cream (or a mix)

Teaspoon mustard powder (optional)

Teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1 egg yolk

Lots of cheese (whatever kind you want)

Breadcrumbs

Tablespoon butter

Instructions:

1. Boil water for your pasta. Throw in the kosher salt (it should taste like seawater).
2. Cook your pasta for 1 minute less than the time it says on the box. Drain and put aside.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
4. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes until it is no longer raw.
5. Whisk in the milk and cream and let it become thick.
6. Stir in spices if using.
7. Beat the egg yolk in a bowl and then add some of the sauce. Stir immediately. When combined, add the mixture to the rest of the sauce and whisk immediately until combined (this is called tempering the egg yolk).
8. Now you add cheese! Add handfuls and handfuls of cheese. However much you want. Seriously. Just taste your sauce to decide when to stop. Save a handful of cheese to add at the end.
9. Now mix in the cooked pasta. Stir until all of the pasta is covered. Put this into a large casserole pan.
10. Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan over medium heat.
11. When the breadcrumbs are turning golden, add the tablespoon butter and stir until combined.
12. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pasta, followed by the final handful of cheese.
13. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
14. Eat.

Introduction

Hello!
My name is Amanda DeJesus. I like food (understatement of the century). I also love to cook and bake, which works out well because I like food so much. I'm not a professional, and outside of a few amateur cooking classes I have had no training, so my recipes aren't exactly the most difficult of things. My family has a history of being good cooks, though, so I suppose it runs in my blood.

One more thing about my cooking: I'm a pescatarian, which means I do not eat land animals. I eat milk, eggs, and fish, plus all stuff that a normal vegetarian eats. However, I've been cutting seafood out of my diet, so the majority of my recipes will have no meat. I'm not a veggie freak that puts sprouts and that stuff in all of my food, in fact, I eat a ton of comfort food with lots of cheese. I like to think I eat a lot of healthy food, but I still have my cravings for chocolate and fried stuff.

When I'm not in the kitchen, I love riding my horse and helping out in the drama club at my high school. I'm the stage manager and one of the officers for the club, so that takes up a lot of my time. I'm a senior in high school, and next year I will be going to college, where I will hopefully have a kitchen so I can continue this blog! If not, I'll keep you updated on holidays.

I'm going to try to post a recipe every day until then (with pictures and occasionally videos!).

So that's about it, I hope you like my blog!

love, Amanda :)