Welcome back!  Today, we have the most well-known Spanish dish: Paella! We're making a seafood variety here, but the techniques are essentially the same for any sort of paella that you might want to make. The paella is just a great way to enjoy a bunch of different ingredients all in one cohesive dish! Plus, you don't really need a traditional paella pan to make this; just a normal pan or wok will do! Paella Mixta Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups bomba rice 2 cloves (1 teaspoon) garlic 1 medium onion 1 bell pepper 1 tomato (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup white wine 3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or seafood broth) 4 ounces chorizo 1 1/2 pound of various proteins: chicken, shrimp, mussels, squid, octopus 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) 1 teaspoon paprika A little bit of saffron Parsley to garnish Lemon wedges to garnish Directions: In an oiled pot, saute the chorizo for a couple of minutes until the flavor starts to come out. Remove from the pot when it's done. For any of ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a miniature version of a classic American dessert: Mini Apple Pie! Sometimes an entire apple pie is too much (but when is it really?), so having the technique to bake some mini pies can certainly come in handy. Plus, you can bake multiple different mini pies at once by taking the filling from any other pie, such as peach or cherry pie. It's a great way to make a delicious pie sampler! Mini Apple Pies Makes four 4" pies Ingredients: 2 9"  pie crusts  (or almond-based pie crusts ) 3 large apples, cubed, such as Granny Smith 100 grams brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground clove 1 tablespoon corn starch Directions: In a bowl, mix the apple chunks with the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and clove. Let the spiced apple sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours. This will draw the juices out of the apple. Add the corn starch into the apples and mix to th...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a staple of the Taiwanese night market: Oyster Omelette, or O-a-tsian! O-a-tsian, which is Hokkien for "oyster fry" is the embodiment of Taiwanese food: fresh seafood, combinations of chewy and crispy textures, and rich flavors. This is a dish that can be found at any night market across Taiwan, but now, you can have it in your home! Taiwanese Oyster Omelette Makes 2 omelettes Ingredients: Omelet: 65 grams sweet potato flour 35 grams tapioca flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 250 grams water 1 teaspoon sesame oil (specifically 香油) 3 eggs 8 large oysters Green, crisp vegetables, such as Taiwanese baby bok choy (小白菜) Sauce: 4 tablespoons ketchup 4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce 1/2 tablespoon soy paste (醬油膏) 1 tablespoon corn starch 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup water Directions: Make the batter by whisking the sweet potato flour, tapioca flour, salt, water, and sesame oil. This batter will separate over time so be sure to mix until even before pouring into the p...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a dish that is as fancy as it is easy to make: Crab Cakes! Both the preparation and cooking of this recipe are as simple as an entree of this level can get; simply mix up the ingredients, sear it on a pan, and that's it! Plus, there's a variety of suitable crab meat grades, so you can pick one that fits your taste and budget. Crab Cake Makes 16 small crab cakes Ingredients: 1 pound crab meat 2 eggs 2 tablespoons mayo 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon dry white wine 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup panko/breadcrumbs (add more if necessary) 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Directions: Mix all the ingredients together. Make sure the crab meat is evenly shredded. If the mixture is too wet, feel free to add some more panko. Form small balls from the mixture. Make sure to compact the crab cakes so it doesn't fall apart while cooking. In an oiled pan, sear the cra...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a new twist version of a breakfast staple: Blueberry Muffins with Streusel! This might seem like our Blueberry Muffins , but a quick comparison shows that their differences are not negligible. Besides the streusel, which is clearly a new addition to the recipe, this version of muffin has a simpler procedure (so that you'll have the energy to make the streusel) while still retaining its moist and flavorful goodness. Baking is a science, but you can always use multiple methods to achieve the same goal. Blueberry Muffin With Streusel Makes 12 muffins Ingredients: For the muffin batter: 1/2 cup oil 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cup flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups blueberries For the streusel: 1/4 cup flour 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cold butter Directions: In a bowl, mix the oil, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract together. Sift in the f...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a recipe for the most iconic cookie ever: Chocolate Chip Cookies! Loaded with smooth chocolate, these cookies are an absolute treat that everyone is sure to love. Plus, this recipe's pretty easy to whip up quickly, so it's super convenient when you need to prepare something for a party or if you just want some indulgent snacks.  Chocolate Chip Cookies Makes 18 cookies Ingredients: 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened 100 grams white sugar 75 grams brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional) 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 6 ounces chocolate chips or chunks Directions: In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the white and brown sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and egg and mix. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt into the wet mixture. Mix this together, but don't overmix! Add the chocolate chips or chunks and mix. Let the cooki...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a delicious Tex-Mex and barbecue fusion: Brisket Queso! We have made Queso  in the past but as noted in the past recipe, it takes a little bit of experimenting to get the right texture. So this time, we used a new technique by incorporating a little bit of chemistry and simplifying the queso part of the recipe. Specifically, the key is to use sodium citrate, which is a compound that can be created by combining an acid like lemon or lime juice with baking soda and helps to keep the cheese evenly smooth. Another important factor is the ingredients used: American cheese actually has sodium citrate already; the Colby that we used is a similarly good melting cheese. Brisket Queso Ingredients: 40 milliliters lemon or lime juice 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 pound cheese, cut into cubes or grated (we used half cheddar and half Colby) 1/2 cup heavy cream Some Pico de Gallo, Habanero Salsa, or just fresh diced tomatoes and onions Brisket Directions: Create ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a classic breakfast-dessert dish: Cinnamon Rolls! Cinnamon rolls evoke the feeling of a nice American brunch spread, or a breakfast at a Southern cafe - who market their cinnamon rolls as the gooiest, fluffiest, most cinnamon-y delights you've seen. Well, cinnamon rolls actually find their strongest roots in Scandinavia, with Sweden in particular. In fact, Sweden and Finland originated a National Cinnamon Roll Day, on October 4th, to celebrate their cultural delicacy. The American version really isn't too different save for the use of a cream cheese frosting. Cinnamon Rolls Makes 9 cinnamon rolls Ingredients: 375 grams bread flour 1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast 1/2 teaspoon salt 40 grams sugar 180 grams milk, slightly warm 40 grams softened butter 4 tablespoons softened butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 4 ounce softened cream cheese 2 tablespoons softened butter 2/3 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 9...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a famous Brazilian dish: Pão de Queijo! This dish is essentially what the Portuguese name translates to: "cheese bread". But this baked good is actually a lot more nuanced because of the ingredients that go into it. Specifically, the use of tapioca flour mixed with a cheese like mozzarella gives this bread a very chewy texture on the inside that perfectly complements the crisp exterior. Pão de Queijo Makes 18-24 pães Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup (170 grams) tapioca flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (60 grams) Mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/8 cup (15 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated 1 egg 160 grams milk 80 grams oil Directions: In a food processor, add in all the ingredients and pulse until evenly incorporated. Brush oil in a mini muffin tin and pour in the batter. Try not to fill the pan up too much because they will expand significantly while baking. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. If you just looked at the final product, you'd be surprised at how eas...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a delicious and aesthetic dessert: the Cake Roll! As the name suggests, it is the wonderful innovation of cake in log form. But it's not as simple as just rolling the sheet of cake up - we have to worry about the cake cracking when it rolls and the outside surface looking smooth and clean. So for this recipe, we switched up our usual Chiffon Cake recipe for something a little different, as you'll see in the first few steps. Cake Roll Ingredients: 50 grams neutral oil 70 grams cake flour 60 grams milk 5 egg yolks 5 egg whites, chilled 50 grams sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup whipping cream 1 tablespoon sugar Fresh fruit, like mango or strawberry A 11" x 10" or 11" x 11" baking pan Directions: Heat the oil in a small pot to 158-167°F. Remove the pot from the heat and mix in the flour thoroughly. Mix in the milk until evenly incorporated. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time until homogenous. Whisk the egg whites with lemon juic...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a fiery Habanero Salsa! Salsa is deceptively easy to make - just chop up a few ingredients and put it through a food processor - and if you do it yourself, you're able to get it to exactly the right consistency and flavor that you want. In this case, we were able to concoct a devilishly spicy salsa with a fresh habanero. Plus, this is so much fresher than the store-bought variety of salsa! Habanero Salsa Ingredients: 3 medium tomatoes (or Roma tomatoes), deseeded 1/4 small red onion 1 jalapeno 1 habanero Cilantro 1 tablespoon lime juice Pinch of salt Directions: Chop the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and habanero into rough chunks - not diced. Cut the cilantro so that there aren't any long stems. Add the chopped ingredients into a food processor along with the lime juice and salt. Pulse until the desired consistency is reached. This salsa is great by itself but it also is an amazing way to add an extra kick to guacamole or some Brisket Queso, and of ...

Welcome back!  Today, we have a variation on the beloved breakfast dish: Lemon Ricotta Pancake! This recipe adds a little bit of extra flavor to your typical pancake with the lemon, and the ricotta helps to fluff up the texture of the final product. The combination of these two special ingredients is also a well-known pairing - we even made an Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake  that used them in a similar fashion to elevate a standard dish. However, this is not a drastic transformation of a normal pancake - you can still enjoy it with the classic syrup or serve it with some fresh berries - and it's just as delicious! Lemon Ricotta Pancake Makes 10-12 medium pancakes Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup flour (210 grams) flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 50 grams sugar 1 cup milk 2 eggs 3/4 cup ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Juice from one lemon (about 2-4 tablespoons) Zest from one lemon Directions: In a bowl, pour in the milk and crack the eggs in...

Welcome back!  Today, we have another regional pasta recipe: Nduja Pasta! This dish comes from Calabria in Southern Italy, which is known for their chili peppers and their unique Italian dialect. Nduja is an interesting product that comes from Calabria - it is a sausage spread that is made of a mixture of pork and Calabrian chilis, giving it its distinctive red hue and spicy flavor. You can serve it in a variety of ways, from a simple spread on some bread, or in a pasta sauce as in this recipe. It really spices things up! Nduja Pasta Makes 4-5 servings Ingredients: 16 ounces pasta 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4-6 ounces nduja, depending on how spicy you prefer your pasta 26 ounces tomato passata (strained tomatoes) Grated Parmigiano Reggiano to top Directions: Saute the onion in with the olive oil in a pan until soft and translucent. Add the garlic in and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in the nduja and stir into the aromati...