running on super bowl sunday

that's m & me before the start of the 2011 kp half marathon & 5k fun run race. m ran the half and i ran the 5k with a friend.

that's right! this coming super bowl sunday m, c and i will be running in the kaiser permanente half marathon and 5k fun run. actually, m will be running the half marathon again (he did it in 2011) while c and i tackle the 5k (i ran the 5k in 2011 with a friend, since it was her first ever 5k race). this year, i'm so excited and so is c. the 5k will be his first ever running race, or any sports race for that matter. i think i am more excited than him... just the fact that our little baby is finally old enough to be running with us. i can't believe it! i just hope the experience is a good one and that he'll want to keep on racing. i have lots of little kid-friendly races i'd love him to join in with us.

now i have to say, running is definitely in the family. everyone runs: m, me, l & p! now with c running, that makes 5. we just have to see if little miss v will be joining us when she's no longer a baby. hehehe.. how exciting!

okay, stay tune. i'm sure i'll have some instagram photos to post after the event. and of course, the best part about this sunday? it's THE super bowl and our fave team, the san francisco 49ers are in it! we need that #questforsix, 6-0 record that is. it's been forever since the last time they've won it all. i was just thinking about that and i think it's really been 18 years. yeah, the 1994-95 season. it's a long time coming, so let's hope jim harbaugh and the boys bring that lombardi trophy home. little bro needs to win it this time around. john can have a super bowl ring, just not this season, and definitely not against us. :)

GQ magazine's german pancake

on lazy weekend mornings i sometimes make this simple pancake for breakfast. it works very well as a brunch item too but since we don't do/host brunch very often, it's breakfast for us at our house. this pancake with some scrambled or fried eggs and (turkey) bacon. mmm… doesn't that sound so yum?! m found this a couple of years ago while flipping through one of his issues of GQ magazine. i believe from my quick google search of the recipe, it was from the december 2010 issue. we have the page torn out and kept with all our other recipes for easy retrieval.

i absolutely love this pancake recipe. i believe they called it a german pancake? unlike the traditional pancake, you make this in a skillet pan (ovenproof) or a pie dish. i've yet to make it in a pan, but i've made it many times in a 9-inch pie dish. :) i have to say it is delish. it's almost like an english yorkshire pudding, but not quite. that or maybe a fancy pancake souffle, sort of?! whatever it is, it's very good and you should try it! the outcome just looks and taste amazing; light and fresh with the lemon juice, and that slight crispness from the bottom of the pancake browning gives a great texture to this dish. it's pretty awesome. this pancake can make you feel like you're one genius master chef.

below's the recipe. trust me, it's easy peasy. you'll want to make this over again and again. maybe for breakfast, brunch or serve it as a dessert with a side of (homemade) jam? just throwing out ideas. ;) enjoy!


this skillet pan (or pie dish in this case) german pancake tastes just as good as it looks. a must try!

german skillet pancake
recipe from GQ magazine, december 2010 issue

ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of ground nutmeg (optional: if you’ve got it and want to use it – i personally don't always add this)
powdered sugar & lemon juice

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. put the butter in a 9 or 10 inch pie plate or ovenproof skillet. place in oven, then remove once butter is melted.
3. mix the remaining ingredients together with a whisk and pour into the hot skillet. immediately return it to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until puffy and even browned on the outside.
4. remove. sprinkle with the lemon juice and powdered sugar. slice and serve.

serves 2-4. enjoy and happy eating! :)

my new garmin forerunner 410 gps-enabled sports watch

my new garmin forerunner 410 gps-enabled sports watch, perfect for keeping track of my runs!

for christmas m surprised me with the garmin forerunner 410 gps watch. it was very unexpected as i did not have that down on my christmas wish list. of course since sometime last year i had been eyeing it but the price was still above $200 and i told myself and him that i wouldn't want to get it just yet or was not in any rush to get it. i still had my nike ipod + receiver i was using and that worked just fine for keeping track of my runs.

now, i'm so glad i got that garmin watch. shortly after christmas i went out on a run with both the watch and my nike+/ipod and discovered that the nike+ receiver had died on me. it was taking forever for the ipod to find the receiver/sensor. i guess after 4 years and 5 months, it finally gave out. it was okay while it lasted. we definitely went through our ups/downs. actually, it was more like a love/hate relationship. i loved it when it synced all my runs properly and hated it when it'd die (freeze up) on me halfway through my runs or didn't sync up my runs properly. i put over 1,500 miles on that thing! pretty impressive for myself personally. who knew i would run that many miles in a 4-year span?!

with the garmin gps watch plus heart rate monitor, i am loving it. i like the fact that with the gps my mileage are actual and not a guestimate. i mean, c'mon?! it's a gps and it's garmin! what's great is with the heart rate monitor, i can see how fit or unfit i am after i've synced my data up onto their site. the initial sync setup was a bit annoying, but after the setup, syncing runs was a piece of cake. i love seeing my average heart rate during a run or the maximum heart rate. my goal is to get my average down to a pretty good number. anywhere within the 140-150 range is great. right now it's a little higher than i'd like. maybe around 160ish? that's still not bad, but i'd like it lower. plus, my pace/speed's not very fast at the moment. i'm hoping over time my pace will pick up and i can get back to what it was before baby #2. right now i'm very slow.

overall, i'm loving the garmin watch + heart rate monitor. i don't miss nike and apple at all. with the sf marathon coming up in june, i'm hoping to do lots of training runs with this gadget. i know it'll be great. i look forward to many years of running data collected with this device. i can't wait to see where i am a year from now, two years, and so on. :)

if you're interested in getting this exact gamin 410 gps watch yourself or any other garmin gps watches, you can definitely check them out on amazon.

gluten-free chocolate chip cookies

i never bothered baking any gluten-free goodies until a few years ago. one of my former coworkers can't have any gluten so everything she consumes must be gluten-free. that was when i started testing out random recipes. every time i brought in goodies, i made sure i had a GF version as well. typically, i'd just take the regular recipes and alter them GF. most of the time i had to play around with random flour combinations. i have to say, i don't care for some of those flours. what i've found is that brown rice flour or white rice isn't that bad and can somewhat holds its ground. this chocolate chip cookies recipe here is an example of that. it uses only brown rice flour as the flour and the outcome is actually very good. it's quite simple really, and the cookies turn out great. of course i've had incidences where some of them can turn out too crunchy or just a horrible mess (but that the fun of testing random flour combos). i guess you just have to play around with it until you find the right combination of ingredients.

below's the recipe for these delicious gluten-free cookies should you want to try them out yourself. i love how the brown rice flour gives the cookie that crumbly texture once it hits your mouth. these really are good whether you're GF or not! oh, for half the cookies i turned them into sandwich cookies and added in some salted caramel filling leftover from my brown sugar salted caramel macarons. i say those were quite a treat. it's a giant load of sugary sweetness, but oh man, they were good.

okay, as usual, let me know how yours turn out if you do make these. happy baking and eating! :)


the salted caramel filling with these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies just made them even better!


this easy GF cookie recipe is seriously so simple to make and used only brown rice flour!

gluten-free chocolate chip cookies

ingredients:

1/2 stick (4 oz) butter, softened or melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions:

preheat oven to 350°F. line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone sheet.

cream softened butter (or melt butter in microwave safe bowl) and sugar together. then add in the egg. once mixed, add in the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. mix until incorporated, then add in the chocolate chips.

scoop out a tablespoon portion (ball-like) onto the baking sheet. make sure to spread out them at least 2-inches apart. bake for 9-10 minutes until golden but still soft in the center (baking time varies depending on how chewy or crunchy you like your cookies). transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. after a few minutes, they're ready to eat! enjoy. :)

makes 18-20 cookies or 9-10 sandwich cookies. store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

brown sugar salted caramel macarons

who doesn't love salted caramel? i know i do!

so i decided to be a tad adventurous with my usual macaron recipe. instead of your good old white sugar, i went for the brown one instead. and what do you know? the brown sugar works just fine too! in fact, they actually give you a nice tint of brown to the shells and that sweet butterscotch-y flavor. it's really good, i must say. the added salted caramel filling is just scrumptious.

below's the recipe should you be interested. let me know how yours turn out if you do make them. happy baking and eating! :)


the brown sugar substitution give these macarons a nice butterscotch flavor. and to top it off with the salted caramel filling is just divine.


these macarons make for the perfect gift, for anyone and any occasion. :)

brown sugar salted caramel french macarons

ingredients:

macaron batter:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed

salted caramel filling:
1 bag of kraft caramel bits
2 tablespoons of milk (you can use water too)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 cups powdered sugar (optional, i use this to thicken my caramel a bit)

directions:

to make the macaron batter/shells:

1. line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
2. sift together the powdered sugar and almond meal so there are no lumps. set aside.
3. in the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. while whipping, beat in the brown sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
4. carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. when the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
5. pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch circles evenly spaced one-inch apart.
6. rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. then let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes depending on humidity before baking them in the oven. about 10-15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for 15 minutes.
7. once macaron shells are out of the oven, let them sit for 30-60 seconds before removing the hot baking sheet underneath. let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper.

for the salted caramel filling:

1. put the caramel bits with the milk and sea salt in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes (i usually do it in 30 second increments).
2. once it looks like the bits are melted or soft enough to stir, take it out and stir until everything is fully incorporated.
3. let it cool until it's thick enough to spread. if it's still too runny, it's not ready yet. at this point, you can add in the powdered sugar to thicken up the mixture so you can use it quicker if you like. otherwise, i say hang out for a bit until it's ready. of course, if you've gone too long and the mixture is too stiff to spread, you can pop it back in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it.

to assemble the macaron cookies:

1. before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size.
2. using a knife, spread a good amount of the salted caramel on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together.
3. let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors.

store in airtight container for up to 5 days. makes 20-24 macarons. happy eating because these are really, really, good! :)

chocolate banana macarons

we had a bunch of bananas that were ripening so i decided to make something with them besides the typical banana bread. of course i barely used a whole banana but at least it used part or some of it! plus, the overall result was quite pleasing and very satisfying to my tastebuds (and many others). i actually made something that's not quite ordinary. i mean, how often do you have banana buttercream?

so what goes with banana? how about some chocolate! i say the pairing goes very well together. who doesn't love chocolate? and that banana sweetness is just perfect with the chocolate, especially if you give it the appropriate time for the cookie to age. it's really that good. both flavors really enhances each other.

below's the recipe should you be interested. feel free to let me know how yours turn out. happy baking (and eating)! :)


wait a day until all the flavors are melded and oh my -- they are so good! it's like biting into a little bit of that banana chocolatey heaven goodness. yum!

chocolate macarons with banana buttercream

ingredients:

macaron batter:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar

banana buttercream filling:
1/2 of a medium size ripped banana
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

directions:

to make the macaron batter/shells:

1. line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
2. sift together the powdered sugar, almond meal and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder so there are no lumps. set aside.
3. in the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. while whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
4. carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. when the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
5. pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch circles evenly spaced one-inch apart.
6. rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. then let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes depending on humidity before baking them in the oven. about 10-15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for 15 minutes.
7. once macaron shells are out of the oven, let them sit for 30-60 seconds before removing the hot baking sheet underneath. let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper.

for the banana buttercream filling:

1. beat the banana and butter in a medium size bowl using a hand mixer until combined.
2. then add in the powdered sugar and keep beating/mixing until fully incorporated and at the right consistency. if it's too thin, add in a little more powdered sugar. otherwise, if it's too stiff, thin it a tad with a little bit of milk, a teaspoon at a time.

to assemble the macaron cookies:

1. before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size.
2. using a knife, spread a good amount of the banana buttercream on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together.
3. let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors.

store in airtight container for up to 5 days. makes 20-24 macarons. happy eating! :)

chocolate yule log

i mentioned in one of my last post that every new year's eve we make a yule log to celebrate the new year (okay, more like the hubby who makes the yule log). instead of going out and partying with everyone on new year's eve, we actually prefer to stay in with a movie playing in the background and baking this away. we've done it for the past several years now that it's sort of become a tradition. so why a yule log for new year's eve instead of christmas? well, it's just that with all the baking going on during thanksgiving and christmas, there's just too much goodies and we know we'll never get around to eating it! and we'd really like to eat it because it's THAT good! you can't go wrong with a nice fluffy and soft sponge cake with that sweet creamy mocha whipped filling and the chocolatey mocha frosting on top. it's very good.

below's the recipe should you like to make one yourself come the holidays again. actually, who says you can't have this anytime of the year?! go ahead and make one and let me know how it turns out! happy baking and eating. :)


our annual new year's eve tradition. bake a yule log instead of partyin' it up. ;)

chocolate yule log
recipe from taste of home

ingredients:

sponge cake:
5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

mocha cream filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

mocha buttercream frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 cups confectioners sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

directions:

1. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture until blended.
3. Beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Stir a fourth into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back (do not overbake). Cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off parchment paper. Roll up in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
5. In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and coffee granules. Beat until stiff peaks form; chill. Unroll cooled cake; spread filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Place on serving platter; chill.
6. In a large bowl, beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cake. Using a fork, make lines resembling tree bark. Makes 12 servings.

nutrition facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 341 calories, 15 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 130 mg cholesterol, 136 mg sodium, 49 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

chocolate macarons with chili pepper chocolate ganache

as a last minute entry, i came up with this recipe for the chocolate adventure contest sponsored by scharffen berger chocolate maker and tuttifoodie. for 2012, i believe they are looking for a delicious phenomenal chocolate sandwich cookie, using scharffen berger chocolates and one or more of the 12 adventurous ingredients. the adventurous ingredients i chose were the chili pepper and coconut milk.

below's the recipe i came up with. it's pretty simple but i think the chili pepper chocolate ganache definitely adds a kick to your typical chocolate ganache and for sure, this macaron cookie is not your usual chocolate sandwich cookie.

so if you're adventurous enough too, please feel free to try this recipe out yourself and let me know what you think! happy baking and eating! :)


the chili pepper powder adds that unexpected but very tasteful kick to your typical chocolate ganache for this macaron filling.

chocolate macarons with chili pepper chocolate ganache

ingredients:

macaron batter:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
3 tablespoons Scharffen Berger unsweetened natural cocoa powder (any brand cocoa powder will do too if you don't have this kind)
more cocoa powder for macaron shell topping (optional)
2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

reduced coconut milk:
1/2 cup coconut milk

chili pepper ganache filling:
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 (9.7 oz) Scharffen Berger 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking bar, cut into pieces (any chocolate baking bar or chips will work too)
1/4 cup reduced coconut milk* (see above)

directions:

to make the macaron batter/shells:

1. line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
2. sift together the powdered sugar, almond meal and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder so there are no lumps. set aside.
3. in the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. while whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
4. carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. when the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
5. pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch circles evenly spaced one-inch apart. quickly after it's piped, if you wish, sprinkle some cocoa powder over each shell using a small sifter.
6. rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. then let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes depending on humidity before baking them in the oven. about 10-15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for 15 minutes.
7. once macaron shells are out of the oven, let them sit for 30-60 seconds before removing the hot baking sheet underneath. let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper.

for reduced coconut milk:

1. bring coconut milk to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
3. remove from heat. transfer to small bowl.

for the chili pepper chocolate ganache filling:

1. using microwave-safe bowl, place chocolate in microwave oven at medium power (50% power) for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. remove and stir. if chocolate is not melted, return to microwave and repeat heating step, stirring every 20 seconds to avoid scorching. when small lumps remain, remove and continue to stir to complete melting.
2. heat the reduced coconut milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. then add it to the melted chocolate. stir until combine.
3. add in the 3/4 teaspoon of chili powder. mix until incorporated.
4. let ganache cool completely before using. you can put it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process a bit if you like. i do it all the time. or if ganache looks like it's spreadable and not too thin (like in drizzle form) you can go ahead and use it to assemble the cookies.

to assemble the macaron cookies:

1. before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size.
2. using a knife, spread a good amount of the chili pepper chocolate ganache on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together.
3. let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors.

store in airtight container for up to 5 days. makes 20-24 macarons. happy eating! :)