Aug 31, 2015

Vegetable Spring Rolls with Spicy Citrus Sauce and Peanut Dipping Sauce

Spring Roll

2 ounces rice vermicelli
8 ea.  Rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
3 ea.  Aburaage  (Fried tofu sushi wrappers) Cut into Strips
1 ea. Cucumber cut into 4 inch strips
8 ea. Fresh Mint Leaves
3 Tb.  Fresh Cilantro Leaves Chopped
2 Tb. Minced Chives
½ Cp. Shredded Carrot
1 ea. Red pepper (julienne)
4 Leafs Greenleaf lettuce

  • Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
  • Fill a pan with hot water. 
  • Dip one wrapper into the hot water for a few seconds to soften. 
  • Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place green leaf, cucumber, carrot, red pepper, vermicelli, mint, cilantro and Tofu, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. 
  • Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. 
  • Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Spicy Citrus Sauce

3 Tb. Fish Sauce
¼ Cp.  Water
½ Cp. Sugar
2 Tb.  Fresh lime juice
1 Tb. Lime Zest minced
1 Tb.  Red chili pepper flakes

  • In a small pan, mix the fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, zest, red peppers heat and reserve for service

Peanut Sauce

6 Tb. Hoisin Sauce
2 Tb. Peanut Butter
¼ Cp Vegetable Broth
2 tsp. Minced Ginger

  • In a small pan, mix the hoisin sauce, broth, ginger, and peanut butter and heat reserve for service

Aug 21, 2015

Ribbon Zucchini Salad

2 lbs. Zucchini, trimmed
1 tsp. Kosher salt
4 Tb. Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tb. Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tb. Honey vinegar Slide Ridge
¼ cup Chopped Cashews
1/3 cup Licorice lettuce greens
¼ cup Roasted Diced Beets
1/8 cup Crème Fraiche
1 oz.  Shaved parmesan Gold Creek Farms

  • With a mandolin or a vegetable peeler cut zucchini into thin strips and place in to a bowl.  
  • Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.  
  • Toss until evenly coated, set aside and allow to marinate for a few minutes.
  • Serve with toasted chopped cashews, diced beets, greens, parmesan and crème fraiche.

Aug 17, 2015

Watermelon Limeade Cooler

Serves 15

1 Medium Chilled Seedless Watermelon, peeled.
1 Cup Lime Juice
1 cup sugar
5 Cups Water
Mint leaves to garnish

Option 1
  • Bring sugar and 5 cups of water to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved and then chill. 
  • Process the watermelon in batches with the fresh lime. 
  • Sweeten to taste with the simple syrup (sugar water solution), and garnish with fresh mint.
Option 2
  • If you like the mint flavor, try blending about 6 mint leaves with the watermelon for a Minty-Watermelon Limeade.
Option 3
  • Try freezing the watermelon before blending for a delicious summer slushy

Aug 6, 2015

Pineapple Coconut Upside Down Cake

Fluffy, Moist Homemade Yellow Cake Recipe


2 cup unsalted butter, softened, room temperature
4 cups white sugar
4 eggs, separated, room temperature
6 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 cups cake flour
2 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

  • In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
  • Add in egg yolks and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.
  • Mix until batter is fluffy but be careful not to over mix.
  • Beat egg whites until foamy and thick.
  • Very gently fold egg whites into batter and mix JUST until incorporated. Set aside

Pineapple Coconut Filling:


4 lbs Fresh pineapple chunks
½ lbs Coconut
4 tbl Butter = 2.3 ounces
1½ cup packed Brown Sugar
3 lbs Vanilla Cake Batter (you can use the recipe above or your preferred cake mix)


  • Melt Butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan, 
  • Remove from heat and spread on ½ sheet pan, already sprayed
  • Spread the pineapple chunks and the coconut on top 
  • Add the 3lbs yellow cake batter
  • Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes
  • Remove from pan when still warm

Yield = ½ sheet pan