Tempura Vegetables with Miso Sweet Soy and Harissa Mayonnaise

Tempura for Vegetables

Zucchini
Asparagus
Bell Peppers
Portobello Mushrooms
Onion

2 cp. All purpose flour
1 ½ cp. Corn Starch
1 Tb. Granulated Garlic
1 Tb. Granulated Onion
2 tsp Cayenne
1 Tb. Smoked Paprika
1 Tb. Black Pepper
1 Tb. Salt
2 Tb. Sugar
1 Ea. Egg
1 ½ to 3 Cups Sparkling Water (Use until desired consistency is met)

½ Cp. Buttermilk

Preferred oil for frying at 350 degrees

Combine dry ingredients into a bowl and mix with a whisk until combined thoroughly. Reserve ½ cup for coating vegetables.

In a bowl add 1 ½ cups sparkling water and 1 egg, stir in dry ingredients mixing until combined.  Adjust thickness if desired with remaining sparkling water.  Reserve for battering vegetables.

Toss cut vegetables in buttermilk, add to dry flour blend for coating and then into tempura batter.

Deep fry at 350 degrees until golden brown.   

Harissa Mayonnaise Dip

½ Cp. Mayonnaise
4 Tb. Harissa Paste
4 Tb. Marinated Sundried Tomatoes
1 Tb. Lemon Juice fresh squeeze
½ tsp. Lemon Zest Minced

Combine ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth, reserve for service with tempura.

Miso Sweet Soy Dip

4 Tb. Apple Cider Vinegar
4 Tb. Soy Sauce
1 Tb. Miso Paste
2 tsp. Orange Juice Concentrate
1 tsp. Ginger
2 tsp. Minced Garlic
2 Tb. Minced Green Onion
4 Tb. Honey

Combine ingredients into blender and blend until combined, reserve for service with tempura.

Oh, what do we do in the summertime?

By: Amberly Asay

Summers in Provo are some of the most fun summers ever.  There are so many things to do and so many adventures to have.  I suggest making a list of 50 things you want to do this summer.  There are also many day trips that you can make to National Parks.  Gather your friends into a car, all pay for gas and then you are set.  Write them all down and put them in a mason jar.  Every couple of days pick one of the slips of paper and make sure you do the event that week!  Below I have gathered some great and fun ideas:

There are 8 Utah Restaurants that are worth the trip try to visit most of them, especially when you are traveling to different state parks: http://www.newscastic.com/news/8-utah-restaurants-worth-the-trip-1337644/

THINGS TO DO

1. Visit the "Up House" in Herriman, Utah
2. Canyoneer the Subway at Zion National Park
3. Swim in the Crater at the Homestead
4. Visit the Four Corners! (Where Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado all meet) 
5. Visit Bryce Canyon 
6. Visit Arches National Park 
   
7. Visit the Kennecott Copper Mine 
8. Dress up like Safari Guides and take a trip to the Hogle Zoo
9. Go and float down a river and then soak in some warm water by visiting Lava Hot Springs  
10. If you want to be really ambitious visit every Utah Temple!  This will not only be a memorable experience for you and your friends but also be spiritually strengthening
11. Find someone with a boat and visit Lake Powell!  Or just go to Lake Powell and enjoy the water
12. Take a trip, and be a part of history by visiting the Anasazi Cliff Dwellings 
13. Take a trip to Cedar City, and go back over 400 years by attending the Shakespeare Festival . You will not only be entertained, but you will take part in a really fun celebration.
14. Probably one of the most popular things to do in our community, attend the Twilight Concert Series! Admission is only $5, and all events are held in Pioneer Park.
15. Take a nice relaxing drive through the Alpine Loop.
16. Join Carrie Underwood and enjoy the Stadium of Fire.
    
17. If you thought Drive-In Movies were gone, then you are wrong!  They are still in West Valley and a great date or group activity. 
18. Cool off at Seven Peaks- Provo's Water Park.
19. Rock climbing is available to people of all ages in Provo.  There are several indoor facilities as well as many outdoor routes in Utah County.
20. Be sure to visit Bridal Veil Falls.  It's a breathtaking double cataract waterfall.  Great for hiking, and there are even some bike trails. 
21. Eat a snow cone! Thankfully Provo has many shacks which offer such treats. 
22. Want to have a fun date roasting treats but don't want to make a fire?  No problem just light some candles and roast fruit snacks (which crystalize very nicely) and candies over the flame.  
23. Visit one of Utah county's reservoir or lakes.  You can go swimming or fishing.  You can purchase your fishing permit at Wal-Mart or online.
24. Hike the Y! If you hike it around twilight, you can watch the sun set and see the city below light up.  Remember to bring a flashlight or headlamp for the hike back down.
    
25. Go to the Mormon Miracle Pageant- June 19-21 and 24-28
26. Wishing you were spending the summer near an ocean?  Don't worry here in Provo you can have the beach.  Just go to the Provo Beach Resort for surfing, ropes courses, arcade games, virtual golf, bowling, croquet and much more. 
27. Want to become more cultured and learned over your summer holiday but don't want to go to school?  Don't worry!  The Springville Museum of Art offers several free concerts, tours and relaxing days in the sculpture garden. 
28. Dive into the depths of the sea by visiting the NEW Living Planet Aquarium in Draper.  They just opened March 25 and are a fun activity for people of all ages. 
29. Get an individual annual pass to Thanksgiving Point.  For just $55 (the price of one decent dinner date), you can get yourself free admission to the gardens, museums, and Farm Country for the whole year.  Then, every time you bring a date, you only pay half price for your date's admission and nothing for your own, which makes for some inexpensive dates with a fun and often romantic atmosphere.  There are additional benefits like discounts on food and retail purchases, discounts on classes, early admission to the TGP gardens, early notification for classes, events, and other programs, a passport that gets you free admission to hundreds of museums nation wide, and the opportunity to support a local community cause.   
    
    

Potato Chips and Dip

By: Amberly Asay


Going to BYU we really have no use for a wine glass or a margarita glass, but there is one trick that will make you want to use one.

Use a large bowl and fill it with your favorite types of potato chips.  Put the wine glass or margarita glass in the middle of the bowl and fill it with your favorite instant chip dip.   This makes it easy to dip and gives you more space on your counter.

Foods to eat to survive finals.

By: Amberly Asay

Finals can be a really rough time for all students, and it can be even more difficult if you are not putting the right foods into your body.  We have identified four state of beings that you might get in during finals and the foods you can eat to make you feel better!

SLEEP PROBLEMS
Cherries - The melatonin in cherries helps increase sleep time and improve sleep efficiency. For best results drink cherry juice one hour before bed.  Cherries can also ease gout and combat cancer.

Walnuts - Full of melatonin and tryptophan that improves your quality of sleep. The antioxidants included in walnuts also help protect the body against diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and type-2 diabetes.

Kiwi - Is high in vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants and fibre.  Studies have found that eating a kiwi before going to bed improves the quality and quantity of sleep.  It can also boost the immune system, respiratory function and improve heart health.

POOR CONCENTRATION

Leafy greens - are full of Vitamin E which have been proven to improve your mental focus and help protect your brain cells from damage.  Some leafy greens include: romaine lettuce, kale, collard greens or spinach.

Whole grains - Eating a whole grain cereal for breakfast helps you stay more focused compared to eating refined carbohydrates or sipping breakfast.  Whole grains can also help you lose weight and reduce sugar cravings.

Sardines - Contain omega 3 fatty acids which give the brain a boost while improving concentration and memory.  It also helps cholesterol.

FATIGUE
Raw chocolate - and cocoa can boost energy and help brain function. Fatigue is a common symptom of a magnesium deficiency in the body. Stay away from processed chocolate because it isn't as healthy as cocoa.  It also treats irritability!

Red pepper - Contains iron and help increase the body's heat production and intake of oxygen. High in Vitamin C.

Oats - rich in calcium, magnesium, Vitamin E and Vitamin B, potassium and protein, so they give you a great boost! Start the day with a bowl of porridge and beat the tiredness you feel in the morning.


RELIEVING STRESS
Mushrooms - great source of vitamin D and proven to help improve your mood and boost your energy.

Dark chocolate - Eating 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate a day for two weeks has been proven to lower stress level.  The magnesium content can help treat depression, menstrual cramps and irritability.

Nuts - stress runs you down which leaves you sick.  Almonds, pistachios and walnuts boost your immune system.  A handful of plain nuts will do the trick!

Avocado and Banana - these fruits are loaded with potassium, a vital mineral for keeping blood pressure low.

Tis the Wedding Season

By: Amberly Asay

Wedding season has arrived, and it is time for bridal showers, bachelorette parties, weddings and of course wedding receptions.  We have a couple of drink ideas that will surely make your parties an even greater hit.

The Milk and Cookies Cocktail

This will change the way you eat cookies and milk forever.  Simply get a cocktail glass and dip the rim of the glass into melted chocolate.  Then dip the chocolate part of the glass into sprinkles.  Fill the glass with milk and enjoy with a delicious cookie.



Tiffany Punch
Fruit punch is always a good idea for any party.  Tiffany Blue is a very common color this season for weddings.  This is a delicious recipe that makes the perfect color.  Mix a jug of Blue Hawaiian Punch with a jug of Lemonade.  It is not only the perfect color but is delicious tasting as well.

Campfire Meals

By: Amberly Asay

Camping season is among us, and it is time to get outdoors.  Being in nature is one of the best feelings in the world, and it is great to eat some great meals cooked by a campfire.  We have gathered some non-traditional campfire treats to try the next time you go camping.


Campfire Cake in an Orange
Cut the tops off of an orange, and scoop out the fruit (this is delicious to eat so don't just throw it away).  Fill each orange just a little bit past halfway with cake mix.  Put the tops back on the orange and wrap it in foil.  Set the oranges in the campfire coals for 20 minutes.  The cake bakes right in the oranges is very moist with some delicious light orange flavoring.

Cinnamon Roll in an Orange
Start with a tube of ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls from any supermarket.  Take an orange, cut it in half, and scoop out (and eat) all the fruit.  Place a cinnamon roll from the tube into the orange rind. Wrap it in foil.  Place it on a campfire for 10-20 minutes, and then enjoy your delicious cinnamon roll.



Smore Croissants
Start with a tube of ready-to-bake croissants.  Put a few chocolate chips and a few marshmallows in your croissant and roll it up.  You can bake these in your oven (on a baking sheet) or put them in foil and cook on the coals.  Then enjoy your delicious croissant!

St. Patrick's Day Party!

By: Amberly Asay

St. Patrick's Day can be a really fun holiday.  It can be especially fun if you throw a party for all of your friends!  Have them dress up in their favorite green outfits and even provide face paint to paint four leaf clovers on their face. When everyone shows up you can make a St. Patrick's Day Photo Booth.

When it gets to the food time, we are in the business of throwing an all green party!  Food coloring is going to be your best friend. Here are suggestions for snack food that is naturally or artificially green:

• Guacamole and chips (you can sometimes find green tortilla chips as well)
• Green M&M's
• Cupcakes or cookies dyed green or with green icing
• Jell-O squares or shamrocks
• Green veggie dip with bell peppers, broccoli and celery
• Grinch drink- green sherbet mixed with Sprite or 7 Up 

Fun games to play: 

A game of luck

The gist of this game is that everyone has to bring some article that brings him/her luck.  Items you're sure to see are shamrocks, horseshoes, dirty socks and maybe even a rabbit foot. It should be very interesting to see what people bring. Award the winner with a wish bone or lucky object. 

A pot of gold

Pin the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  This is similar to pin the tail on the donkey. Make a rainbow and pin it up on your wall or door.  Give the person a pot of gold and blind fold them.  Spin them around until they are dizzy and see if they can pin the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Rainbow friendship bracelet
You can't have a friend party without making friendship bracelets.  Gather together some yarn and beads that are every color of the rainbow.  Let your friends make matching rainbow bracelets to prove your friendship.

After you have taken pictures, stuffed yourself full and played lots of fun games, it is time to cozy on up with one of your favorite St. Patrick's Day movies.  

Twiz the Season

By: Amberly Asay

Are you looking for a clever holiday gift but don't have a ton of money?  Well we have the perfect solution for you!  Grab a mason jar (these should be readily accessible if you've done any home canning or from all of the wedding receptions) and fill it with red vines or Twizzlers.

Find some twine  and wrap it around the lid.  Get some construction paper and write "Twiz the Season" on it.  Tie it all up and then you have the perfect holiday gift. 

Pilgrim Hat Straws

By: Amberly Asay

Thanksgiving is getting closer and it is time to start getting your table ready for all of the festivities!  At my house there is always a kids table and the adults table, this idea is really fun for the kids table.

Make a pilgrim hat out of construction paper.  Make two slits in it, one above the buckle and one a little bit away from the top of the hat.  Thread your straw through and watch the kids sip away at their drink.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Fancy Halloween Drink

By: Amberly Asay

Are you planning a Halloween party but can't decide on a festive enough drink?  We have some
simple tricks to make a delicious Halloween drink.

Put some apple cider in a pitcher, and mix it with Sprite or Seven-Up. Crush up Oreos, and wet the top of your glass. Dip your glass into the Oreo crumbs, and pour in your delicious sparkling cider drink.  Then enjoy!

Hot Cocoa with Cinnamon Marshmallow

Hot Cocoa

1/2 Cp. Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cp. Brown Sugar
1/4 Cp. Hot Water
1/3 Cp. Dark Cocoa Powder of choice
4 Cp. Milk
1 Cp. Cream
1 tsp Salt
1 Ea. Vanilla Bean or (2 tsp. Vanilla extract)

In a sauce pan, add sugar and cook on medium high heat stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and becomes a dark amber color.  Pour some hot water into the pan to shock the sugar, and turn the heat to medium, adding milk, cream, salt, vanilla, and cocoa powder.  Bring the liquid up to a simmer, and turn to low being careful to stir frequently and not allowing it to scorch. Adjust the heat as needed.  Serve with marshmallow and whipped cream with shaved chocolate for garnish.


Cinnamon Marshmallow

2 1/4 oz. Gelatin unflavored
1 1/2 Cp. cold Water
6 Cp. Sugar
2 Cp. Light Corn Syrup
3/4 Cp. Water
3/4 tsp. Salt
1 Tb. Vanilla Extract
3 Tb. Cinnamon Oil
Cornstarch & Powdered Sugar for sprinkling

In a mixing bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1 1/2 cups cold water, and allow gelatin to soak for 10 minutes.  Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in sauce pan and bring to hard boil.  Boil for 1 minute.  Pour boiling syrup into gelatin in your mixing bowl, and fasten a whisk to the mixer.  Mix on high speed for 9 minutes.  Add salt, vanilla and cinnamon oil.  Continue to mix until incorporated. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Use a spatula to scoop marshmallow into the pan, and spread to desired thickness.  Allow to cool for a couple of hours, cut and sprinkle with a cornstarch, powder sugar blend to prevent sticking.

Trick or Treat?

By: Amberly Asay

Inception is a great movie, but during Halloween some things are left up to deception.  This prank, if pulled off well, will have people talking about it for years.  Gather some onions that are similar to apple shapes and cover them in caramel.  They look just like caramel apples!

For a real trick, arrange caramel onions and caramel apples on a table, and watch your victims surprised face as they bite into something bitter while they were expecting sweet! 

How to serve Ice Cream at parties

By: Amberly Asay

Ice cream became a popular treat during the second half of the 20th century, after cheap refrigeration became common.  You can find ice cream in almost every grocery store or restaurant, and it has become one of the most popular desserts ever.

I have thrown many ice cream parties, and at the end have found several broken ice cream scoopers.  After the last two broken ice cream scoopers I have decided to try another attempt.  If you cut ice cream with a knife, it makes it much easier to cut.  It's easier for serving at parties and helps with portion control.  

Prevent Wilted Lettuce

By: Amberly Asay

Let's face it, sometimes as college students it is difficult to eat healthy.  Healthier food is expensive and spoils easily, especially lettuce.  Nothing is worse than going to make a salad and only having wilted or brown lettuce.  Here is a simple trick to keep your lettuce crisp.

Put your lettuce in a dry brown bag instead of plastic bags or food containers.  The paper will absorb the condensation and stop lettuce from wilting.  You can now impress yourself and your friends with how happy you are to eat that salad, now that your lettuce is crisp.

Avocado

By: Amberly Asay


The avocado is a popular vegetable right now, and you can find it in almost anything!  However we have all had the vegetable salsa/dip whose avocados are rock hard and impossible to chew.  I have discovered that a lot of people don't know how to tell if an avocado is ripe or not. 

Simply pull off the stem on the end of the avocado.  If it is dark brown or black it is too ripe.  If it is green or lighter it isn't ripe enough.  If it is a light brown it is just perfect!

Here is a delicious recipe for salsa that includes avocado:
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can black eyed peas
2 avocados cut up
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup green onions chopped
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Zesty Dressing - make dressing according to directions on back of package.  Needs oil, water and vinegar.

Drain all canned items and add to bowl.  Cut up the onions and avocado and add them to the canned items.  Make the dressing, and add most of it to the bowl until it looks right to you.  Stir and enjoy your creation with chips!

Buttermilk Substitute

By: Amberly Asay

The other night, my friends and I decided that we were going to make banana bread.  However the recipe called for buttermilk, and I didn't have any.  Then, one of my friends showed me a trick I will never forget.

If you are in need of buttermilk, you can make your own!  Simply add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk, and let it sit for a few minutes.  Voila!  You have a perfect buttermilk substitute for baking.

Festive Fourth of July Drink

By: Amberly Asay

Independence Day is among us and it is time to celebrate.  Everyone is having barbecues, lighting fireworks and just having a grand old time.  But there is one drink that will wow your guests and have them focused on their taste buds more than the fireworks.

Layered drinks are fun to make and delicious to the taste.  You can stack your drinks in layers within a single glass based upon the sugar concentration in each beverage.  Put the most sugary drink in first, then the second and the least sugary drink on top. Based on the order of color you want, the drinks you use will vary.

If you want to do a red, blue and white drink, get cranberry juice, blue Gatorade and Diet 7up or Diet Sprite.  Fill your glass to the top with ice, and slowly pour in the cranberry juice until the glass is a third of the way full.  Then get your Gatorade, and SLOWLY pour in another third.  And finally top it off with your Sprite.

We wanted a different order with white on the bottom, red in the middle and blue on the top. We used Pina Colada Sobe, Fruit Punch Powerade and Powerade Zero for the top.  Watch the video below to see our experiment in action! 

Cut the Cake

By: Amberly Asay

We all know those people who we don't want anywhere near our cakes, and we especially do not want them cutting them.  Why?  Because they destroy them of course.  Well, this is a simple tip for cutting the perfect slice of cake and other soft bakery items without making a mess.

Use unscented dental floss or fishing line to cut cakes, cheese and other soft solids perfectly.  Simply hold the floss tight and cut across.  Then, slide the floss out along the bottom of the platter.  With this tip, you can cut clean slices of cake in straight lines without disrupting the icing and creating a crumbly mess.

Check out this video where we illustrate the simple technique required to produce perfect cuts:

Use a fork to dip your Oreo cookies in milk while keeping your fingers clean.

By: Amberly Asay

We all have our favorite cookie, but according to one brand they are "America's Favorite Cookie".  The Oreo was developed in 1912 and has been a staple for most children ever since.  They did have their dark days in the 1920s with a lemon filled variety, but they seem to have gotten it right since then.

Since this dessert is such a favorite, we decided we would share a simple tip to make your Oreo cookie eating experience just a little bit better.  Put the tip of a fork through the creamy center of an Oreo cookie, so your fingers don't get messy when dunking them in your milk. This way, you can enjoy the sugary goodness of your cookie without making a mess or chilling your fingers in cold milk.  

Rainbow Cake

By: Amberly Asay

Summer is here ,and there are many fun recipes and cute ideas that can be implemented during this warm season.  One of my favorites is the rainbow cake.  All you need is two white cake mixes and some food gel coloring.  Not food coloring, but gel food coloring.

Make your cake mixes and separate them into six different bowls.  Take your food gel, and place into each bowl: green, blue, purple, yellow, orange and red.  Mix the food coloring in the batter.  Place each color of batter into its own cake pan.  Cook each cake for fifteen minutes, or until it is done.  Let all of the layers cool before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Immediately after frosting your cake, be sure to cover it with rainbow sprinkles.  The most effective way to frost and sprinkle it is by frosting two layers together and then rolling it in a pan of sprinkles.  Do that with the three different cake layers and then stick it all together.