A Three Course Meal.

Sometimes I wonder where I got my food-loving genes from.. because no one in the family seems to be as crazy as me when it comes to food.. especially sweets. I can always find room in my stomach for sweets even after a big meal. Can I call that a talent? Haha. Anyways, today I cooked dinner for the family. A three course meal consisting of a starter, an entrée and dessert!

First on the menu: Potato Latkes



Potato Latkes
recipe from White on Rice Couple
-makes about 12 4″ pancakes

4 medium Potatoes, peeled
1/2 lrg Sweet Onion, diced into 1/4″ pieces
3 cloves Garlic, crushed or finely minced
1/3 c Flour
3/4 T Sea Salt
fresh cracked Black Pepper, to taste
2 lrg Eggs, beaten
1/4 c + Oil, preferably peanut oil, grape seed oil, or other high flash point oil

1. Line a bowl with several paper towels, then grate potatoes into bowl. Using more paper towels, squeeze out as much water from the potatoes as you can. After potatoes are as dry as you can get them, discard paper towels.
2. Add the onion, garlic, flour, salt, pepper, and eggs then stir to combine.
3. Heat a saute pan over medium to med.-high heat, add oil, then when oil is hot place large spoonfuls of potato mix into the pan. Flatten each pancake to approx. 1/2″ thick. Cook to a golden brown on one side (approx. 2-3 min.) then brown the other side. Remove and pat dry with paper towels. May be kept warm covered in a 300° oven.
4. As you cook each batch, stir the potato mix before spooning into pan and add more oil to pan if needed. Serve warm.

These pancakes were real good. They were flavorful and CHEWY! I thought I screwed up on this fairly easy batter when the batter turned out sort of liquid-y.. Next time, I will dry the potatoes more thoroughly and maybe substitute the potato with turnip (an Asian twist?). Hehe.

Following the pancakes, we have the main course- a no-name pasta dish.



I am not sure what it really is. It's a fusion of alfredo and tomato sauce. What?! Do they even go together? Yup! Surprisingly, they sort of compliments each other. Haha.. I should have been more generous on the sauce. No recipe for now. I just whipped up everything spontaneously :p



Last but not least, my love- DESSERT!



Japanese Cotton Cheese Cake
recipe adapted from Heart Bakes
-makes one 8" round pan

(A)
100g Cream Cheese
25g Butter
120g Milk

(B)
40g Flour
30g Corn flour

(C)
4 Yolks

(D)
4 Whites
1/8 tsp Cream of tartar
70g Sugar
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven 325F.
2. Grease and line bottom of 8" round pan. Wrap foil on the outside.
3. Place (A) in mixing bowl and stir over double-boiler until thick. Remove from double-boiler.
4. Add (B) and mix until well combined. Add (C) and mix until well blended.
5. Whip the egg whites in (D) ingredients. Continue whipping until soft peaks. Add it into the cheese mixture from step (4). Mix until well incorporated.
6. Pour the cheese filling onto the prepared pans. Bake in water bath for about 40-45 minutes or until firm and golden brown.
7. Remove cake from oven. (Leave oven door ajar from a couple minutes before removing cake from oven prevents the cake from collapsing!)
8. Set aside to cool.

The original recipe of this cake calls for 160g cream cheese. I reduced it to 100g and got a cake that has a more prominent egg taste, which everyone in the family liked better. I myself also prefer this soft and somewhat cheesecake and sponge like cake. (:

Happy 4th of July Everyone!