Without a doubt, my favorite party food is seven layer dip. With one deft swoop of a wide-brimmed tortilla chip, you can shovel a delectable and flavor-packed bite of seven unique tastes and textures into your open mouth. Also, since there is guacamole and salsa inside, you save on repeated trips to the party table!
Every family has their own version of seven layer dip, so you will definitely see many variations. I have had seven layer dips with both black beans and refried beans, with ground beef or turkey, and with plain chopped tomatoes instead of a piquant salsa. Some people use cilantro instead of scallions as their seventh layer. Others use lettuce, canned green chiles, or Mexican corn as one of the seven ingredients. In addition, you can use whatever proportions of the ingredients that you'd like, as long as no one ingredient eclipses the others.
Although there is room for creativity, it is generally accepted that there are six necessary ingredients that must be included in a seven layer dip. These are: (1) beans, (2) cheese, (3) sour cream, (4) tomatoes, (5) avocado, and (6) olives. (The seventh ingredient can be almost anything you would like. Well, maybe not pasta or chocolate, but you get my drift.)
This is my family's recipe.Seven Layer Dip (Salsa de Siete Capas)1 16oz can of refried beans1 4.25oz can of pre-sliced black olives1 cup of pico de gallo salsa (or 1/4 cup of jarred salsa with 1 large tomato, chopped)1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded1 cup of sour cream (or nonfat Greek yogurt)1 tbsp of cumin (or taco seasoning)2 scallion sprigs, chopped and with the root end removed2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, and roughly smashed4 cloves of garlic, finely mincedtabasco, to taste1 large bag of corn tortilla chips 
Layer a wide transparent bowl with the ingredients, starting with the refried beans (with the cumin and tabasco mixed inside). Follow the bean layer with a layer of sour cream, shredded cheese, smashed avocados and garlic, pico de gallo salsa, black olives, and finally, the chopped scallions. Use the back of a wide spoon or spatula to help you spread the creamy ingredients. Serve the dip with corn tortilla chips and voraciously enjoy the dip in front of the television and with friends.
Also, instead of serving the dip in a large bowl, you can use a plate, individual custard ramekins (if they are transparent glass or plastic), or lowball liquor glasses. If serving individual portions in ramekins or liquor glasses, garnish each portion with a white or blue corn tortilla chip. This way of serving seven layer dip will result in less mess (in the dip itself), but will require the washing of many more dishes! Either way, I hope you enjoy this dip, I know I do!
My husband, mother-in-law, and I threw our firstborn a traditional Chinese red egg and ginger birthday party when he turned one this past week. I am sure you are wondering, "What is a red egg and ginger party?" Red egg and ginger parties are typically celebrated at the one month mark of a young child's life. During the ancient times, when infant mortality rates were high, if a child survived to the one month mark, it was a sign of great fortune and an event worthy of a big family get-together.
The one month milestone in a child's life is a significant occasion for all families, and this milestone is marked by a huge celebration in Chinese culture, where family and friends plan a banquet and meet the new baby. Also, a mother was expected to rest for one month so that she could recover from the physical stress of labor. During such parties, relatives prepare large stockpots of nutritious ginger soup, as ginger has warming (yang of yin/yang) properties to help the mother heal and help increase milk production. The ginger soup, as well as a rice wine and pork trotter soup are strongly believed to help nurse a new mama back to health after childbirth. Also, boiled eggs, representing fertility and life, were dyed red (the luckiest color in Chinese tradition) and gently massaged onto the baby's face. Legend has it, that the egg would increase the fertility of newborn child, guaranteeing a sizeable family. Also, during these parties, instead of birthday presents, the baby and the new parents are given red envelopes (hong bao).
In ancient times, at a red egg and ginger party, the family would formally name their newborn and also shave their baby's head for good fortune. Although we didn't carry out all of the traditions of the red egg and ginger party, we tried to carry the theme throughout our baby's party. That meant dressing him up in a formal outfit and serving Chinese party foods!
As the day approached, however, we realized that our menu was a little too ambitious, so we ended up getting a little help (i.e., ordering frozen dumplings, jungzi, and soy sauce eggs from nearby San Francisco restaurants and shops). We have a little baby, so a little "help" is necessary for throwing a party! The party menu included (see descriptions below, with three recipes):
Chicken and Napa Potstickers with Soy Garlic Dipping Sauce
Soy Sauce Eggs (soft boiled eggs marinated in a bath of soy sauce and mirin--for a good recipe, click here)
Shrimp Fried Rice (just add shrimp and frozen peas to my old recipe)
Vancouver Japadog-Style Hot Dogs with Asian-Fusion Topping Bar (for the kids, with wasabi paste, Japanese mayo, caramelized onions, and nori slivers)
Oranges (which symbolize good fortune, prosperity, and longevity in Chinese culture), Boiled Eggs Dyed Red, and Fruit and Veggie Plates
Chinese Tamales, or jungzi
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken and Pine Nut Lettuce Wraps
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely diced (best to cut if partially frozen)
2 cup carrots, peeled and finely diced (depending on size of carrots, about 5)
1/2 cup green scallions
1/3 cup of pine seeds, lightly toasted in pan for a few seconds until fragrant
2 tbsp of corn starch
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tbsp of canola oil
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 head of lettuce, washed, with leaves separated
Heat the oil in a frying pan until shimmering. Add the carrots and cook until they have started to sweat. Meanwhile, combine the chicken with the soy sauce and corn starch, and then add it into the pan, stirring constantly. Then, add the scallions and fry until the chicken is cooked through. Then, add the pine seeds and serve in a bowl next to the lettuce leaves, or assemble the lettuce wraps for your guests.
Refreshing Chinese Cucumber Salad
2 or 3 seedless English cucumbers, washed and cut into 1/2 to 2 inch strips (almost as if julienned)
1/2 bunch cilantro, cut into 3 cm long portions
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp canola oil
2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Combine all of the liquid and dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Then, combine the sauce mixture with the cucumbers, cilantro, onions, and garlic, until coated. Let the salad sit for at least 30 mins before serving.
Gingered Carrot Cake Mini Muffins
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups (about 1 lb) shredded carrots
1 cup (4 oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) finely chopped crystalized ginger
chopped crystallized ginger, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, and 1 tsp salt. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, butter, and sugars 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in pineapple with its juice and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts, raisins, and crystallized ginger. Spoon batter evenly into cupcake tins with lined with cupcake wrappers. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for mini muffins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
For the games, we invited the children to blow bubbles outside with bubble wands and had an arts and crafts station for the children to color and cut out their own Chinese dragon masks and paper lanterns. Check out the link here for the FREE dragon mask template we used. We bought wooden sticks online for them to use as the mask holders.
We also played Ni Hao, Kai Lan on the television, so that the kids could learn some Chinese and learn about Chinese culture with a fun and popular cartoon.
We also handed out party favors in red Chinese take out boxes (board books, kazoos, bubbles, and red envelopes with chocolate coins), so the kids kept busy and entertained. See the picture way above, to see the contents.
For the decor, we reused our wedding banner, set up Chinese umbrellas, and also folded origami tigers and dragons from the Canon website. Check out the Canon site for the FREE patterns and templates, here. Warning: The patterns are beautiful and complicated!
Also, we printed labels for our water bottles for an extra personalized touch. Check out Gynnn Wasson Design's blog for the FREE water bottle templates we used.
We also decorated a centerpiece with red envelopes.
Thanks for joining me at my party! I hope you learned a thing or two about the red egg and ginger party, a traditional Chinese celebration which is as important of a holiday as Thanksgiving or Christmas for some families. Hey, any even where the entire family gets together to enjoy a feast and meet the new addition is good in my book!
I think it is clear by this blog, that I love my husband. You know why? Because I watch football. For him. That's love.
Usually, during the Super Bowl, I keep myself busy in the kitchen while my husband makes grunting noises and pumps (or shakes) his fists in the air (while simultaneously wielding a large chicken drumstick) at the Super Bowl broadcast on television. This time however, our Super Bowl experience was a little different because I was emotionally invested in the game. This year, I was hissing and scratching like a crazed cavewoman alongside him. Oh yeah, I also used two drumsticks in my hands like meat clubs, whacking inanimate objects just like how my husband does.
It is no secret that I am an Arizona supremacist. There are only two states with people that love their state more than their own firstborn child. The first is Texas. The second is Arizona. Therefore, anything affiliated with Arizona is solid gold in my opinion. If Arizona wanted to secede from the United States, I (like other Arizonans) would eagerly enlist in the Arizona militia and tattoo my arm with the Arizona flag... Well, maybe not, but I have always respected the Cardinals (even despite their record) and I have always loved the Suns. Plus, the Cardinals have systematically been treated terribly, like the awkward reject and laughingstock of the NFL. Therefore, when the Cardinals won the playoff game in which they were the underdogs, I already felt like Arizona won the Super Bowl. They were the Cinderella team, and the glass slipper (or the pigskin, whatever you want to call it) got returned to them. Then they won the second playoff game, as underdogs, again. It was like I won the lottery, and the tears flowed like Niagara Falls. And then they did it again, winning the West and making it to the Super Bowl, again as underdogs. With Barack Obama winning the Presidency, and the Arizona Cardinals making the Super Bowl, it felt like the second coming.
Finally, the Cardinals played the heck out of the Super Bowl, despite the worst officiating in the NFL, ever. They tried their hardest and overcame all expectations. Therefore, no matter what the score, I was so proud. It was amazing to watch their valiant efforts, which forced the commentators eat their words at how Arizona would never make it. Yes, it was a bittersweet game because they deserved the win and were robbed blind by corrupt referees, but being a Suns fan, I am used to skewed officiating that sucks major piehole. (And I am used to Steve Kerr's bumbling idiocy.) I am proud of the Cardinals because they are fighters who never gave up, and I am especially proud of Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald, two amazing people and fantastic players. For those reasons, it was the best Super Bowl, ever. To me at least.
But, bringing this story back to the theme of this blog, which is "food," I just wanted to post the pictures of our Super Bowl spread this year.
Thankfully, I learned from my previous mistakes, but we served the same old pedestrian fare, just plain pico de gallo, guacamole, tortilla chips, nacho cheese (heated in our old Asian grandmammy-style rice cooker), cheesy potato casserole, barbecued beef ribs, and honeyed chicken drumsticks. Nothing special, but some cool pictures to look at, I think.
Here are the ribs:
Chicken:
Ah yes, and the potatoes:
For recipes or picture-heavy posts on football-friendly foods or posts just on Arizona sports, check out these older entries:
Hey, if I (a football illiterate person) can get into football and have a great time watching the Super Bowl, you can too!
Well, since I am at it, I might as well just put up another post just so that I can say that I posted twice this year! I was invited to a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner this past year with the beau's family. As I've said before, they are quite the gourmands! Here are the dishes that they served during Thanksgiving:
A salad of mixed greens in a light vinaigrette with fresh persimmons slices, loose pomegranate kernels, tangerine segments, and goat cheese rounds encrusted with crushed walnuts;
Gravy!;
Brined turkey roasted in a rosemary butter.
Blanched green beans with grape tomatoes; and
Argentinan flan made with evaporated milk with a liquid caramel sauce.
I need to Google this flan recipe, because it was thick, creamy, and delicious.
Update: I think I just found the mother lode! I just found a fantastic Puerto Rican website called, "El Boricua" that lists two alternative recipes for flan, and both recipes include evaporated milk in the ingredients. For your convenience, I cut and paste[d] the substance of the recipes here, but please check our their website (as they are the source for this recipe).
Traditional Flan with Evaporated and Condensed Milk (Spanish Egg-Custard)
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
5 whole eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar (for the caramel)
Blend all ingredients until completely mixed. Pour the flan mixture thru a metal strainer right into the caramelized pan.
Set the mold in a broiling pan (baño de MarÃa). Cook in a 350º oven for one hour. At 30 minutes check to see if it's getting too brown on top--if so cover loosely with foil.
Test the flan to see if it's done by inserting a knife in the center. If the flan is still soft, let it cook longer until a knife inserted again comes out clean. Remove from the oven carefully and let it sit on the counter until it cools. Then cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
To serve lay a plate on top of the mold then carefully flip it over and slide the mold off.
Meanwhile, for the stove top caramel, melt 1 cup sugar in a non-stick pan, over low heat. Keep your eye on it. If it burns you will have to start over. It just needs to melt that's all. Using a non stick pan will cause the caramel to just slip off the pan when pouring and it is easy to clean later.
Immediately pour the caramel into a metal pan and swirl it around to cover the bottom and sides. Your have to be quick because once it starts to cool down you don't stand a chance. The caramel should have cooled down before you pour the egg mixture in it.
Alternatively, you can make microwave caramel by placing 1 cup of sugar and 3 tbsps of water in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave for 5 min. and keep your eye on it. Just needs to melt and be slightly golden.
Immediately pour the caramel into a microwavable flan mold (a transparent Pyrex bowl) and swirl it around to cover the bottom and sides. You'll have to be quick because once it starts to cool down you don't stand a chance. The caramel should have cooled down before you pour the egg mixture in it.
Microwaved Flan with Evaporated Milk
1 can evaporated milk
5 whole eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
Blend all ingredients until completely mixed. Pour the flan mixture thru a metal strainer right into a microwavable flan mold. Fill up to one inch from the rim.
Cook the flan uncovered for 8 minutes on high. Test with the knife as you would a cake. Remember that the microwave cooks from the middle out so insert the knife away from the center of the flan. If it comes out clean then it's done. You might need to add a minute or two if 8 minutes wasn't enough. Run a butter knife around the edges of the dish to separate. Let it cool, cover, and then refrigerate in the mold. How easy is that?
Remember that a microwavable flan mold is perfect for a single recipe only. You might need to discard any extra mixture if it is too much. During the microwaving process the flan will rise, but just ignore this because once it is removed from the microwave it will shrink a bit. Always use a microwave safe paper towel under the Flan mold to "catch" any spills. The mold will be hot so be extra careful when taking it out of the microwave. Let it sit on the counter until it cools down then refrigerate.
The flan needs to be cold to serve so it should be refrigerated at least 3 hours. Invert into a deep dish (like a pie plate) so the caramel won't spill out. We tested the recipe above and doubled it and it took 12 minutes to bake in the microwave (in a larger mold) - so don't double the microwave cooking time, just check it after 8 minutes and add 1 or 2 minutes if not yet done.
Buy a nice ceramic pie plate with lid to show off and serve your flan.
On Thursday of last week, my friend called me up to invite me to the Google Summer Picnic. (He is also the one who invited me to the Google Holiday Party.) Our conversation went as follows:
Friend: Girl, wanna go to the Google Picnic with me? I know you've never eaten at Google before, so now is your chance. The picnic is on a work day, and several other people already told me that they wouldn't come with me. Plus, I know you're busy with planning for you move, so if you can't come, it's not a prob.
Me: Shut up fool! You know I am on that free food like nobody's business! That's me knocking on your door right now! I'll take the week off if I can eat at Google!
Hmm . . . Okay, that write-up of that conversation was lame. But the point is, is that one of my primary goals before I left the Bay Area was to eat at the famed Google complex, where there is free organic food galore. In fact, Google was voted the top employer in Fortune magazine, in part because of their (generous) free food provisions to their employees. I've heard that the food there is prepared by renowned chefs and that the employee cafeterias are so popular, that Google feeds more than 100% of their employees every day (the employees bring guests). There is even an oyster bar and and sashimi bar. Given all of the praise for Google food, I was going to eat there, come hell or high-water.
And eat I did.
While my friend registered and began to play in the "Google-employees-only poker tournament," I sprinted like a psychotic madwoman towards the buffet tables. As I made my way (kicking and shoving) to the food area, I grabbed a container of golden waffle-cut fries and a cup of ice-lemonade from the stands near the entrance of the park-area.
I noticed that the picnic caterers were working furiously in the food stands, monitoring the metallic tubs of bubbling hot oil and shaking steel wire baskets full of fries and dripping with oil over the tubs. Situated next to the fries were several fondue pots filled with topping for the fries, including ketchup, nacho cheese sauce, black beans, and ranch dressing.
My next stop was the hot dog area, where they had mountains of gorgeous hot dogs piled in the metal serving trays. Similar to the fries, the hot dog were also adjacent to a "topping area" with square bowls containing sweet pickle relish, mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, and minced red onions.
In addition with the hot dogs, they also had an ugly-lookin' barbecued tofu alternative for the vegetarians. C'mon, could you make it a "little" more attractive folks? . . . Just kidding, it looked good enough.
Before I even walked through the entire picnic area, I had greedily consumed three chicken and apple sausages with shredded sauerkraut and onions, a whole paper tray full of waffle-cut fries with nacho cheese sauce, and chugged a chilled cup of frozen lemonade. But little did I know, that the other side of the park had more food! Seriously, Google is crazy in terms of supplying their employees with food. By the time I realized there was more food, I was already full, so unfortunately I didn't have the stomach to try everything. But I did try and snap pictures of the remainder, including:
tender lemongrass pork riblettes,
shredded green papaya salad with Thai lime vinaigrette and toasted peanuts,
lavash rolls, filled with with roasted red pepper, thinly sliced cucumber, mixed organic greens, harissa, and herbed cream cheese,
grilled tandoori chicken skewers,
bite-sized vegetable samosas stuffed with curried potatoes, cauliflower, and peas,
all-American macaroni salad,
marinated kidney, wax, and green bean salad with crinkle-cut carrots,
fresh antipasto-like zucchini and red bell pepper salad,
rich chocolate brownies dusted with powdered sugar,
baked white chocolate chip cookies,
"spoonable" apple cobbler, and
deep-fried sesame pastry balls filled with red bean paste.
And cotton candy!!
After I finished exploring the picnic area and met up with my friend again, I kissed his feet in gratitude. Although I didn't eat every item at the picnic, I was satisfied to the extreme. The hot dogs were better than Costco's--and you know that is saying a lot! I also had a great time walking around the premises, exploring the food options, and admiring the food. Overall, the caterers did a relatively okay job in the innovativeness and flavor of the dishes, keeping the food warm, and preserving the texture of the food items in the outdoor setting. Although some items may have been a little mediocre, flavorless, and tepid, I was still overjoyed with the "free food" experience. Thanks Google for feeding me, a freeloader, on Friday!Also, thanks for understanding my busy schedule and staying tuned despite my lack of posts and comments recently. I hope you enjoy the pictures and I can't wait to be back to blogging regularly.
