mochi doughnut goodness


There's this little place called Cafe Zaiya on 41st between 5th and Madison (not the same place I get my tea). They have a lot of fast Japanese pre-packaged meals, cream puffs from Beard Papa (/drool) and a very lovely bakery section.

In this bakery lies the stealthy mochi doughnut. You might just miss it in between the red bean donuts and the mini pizzas but it's right there waiting for you to take your first addictive bite.

It's covered in granulated sugar and fried to a deep golden brown. Honestly, this doughnut had me at sugar, but there's more!

When you bite into it the texture is quite chewy like a piece of mochi, funny enough. By the time you get to one it's probably absorbed the oil it was fried in so each bite is a sligtly greasy, sugary spackle job on your arteries.

This donut isn't light as air, but it also isn't as dense as its sturdier, bean paste filled counterparts. There are air pockets in between the layers so it reminds me of a french crueller a little (my other doughnut addiction).

I think they pipe them out with a pastry bag/tip to get this perfectly swirled shape. I happened to take a picture of the bottom of this one so you can't really tell.

Some days... oh some days they have them half dipped in chocolate! O_O

not yo' mama's banana pudding

Everyone I've shown this recipe to loves it. It's my favorite banana pudding and I make it extra- special by alternating chocolate and regular chessmen.

The recipe is Paula Deen's and it's on the food network here: Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

I don't use cool whip because I think it makes it too sweet. Instead I use all fresh, unsweetened, whipped cream for the whipped topping.

I've also used different flavored pudding. The last one I used was eggnog and it came out very well. You might try chocolate pudding for extra yumminess!



Ingredients
  • 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
  • 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream
Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

creamed corn with green peppers and salt pork



Another canned creation (It's funny because I normally don't start with canned anything beyond tomatoes)

1 can creamed corn
salt pork/bacon
one half green pepper minced
one small onion
tobasco, salt and pepper(s) to taste
sour cream

Brown the salt pork or bacon in a small pot till the fat is rendered. Add onions and green peppers. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the creamed corn and season to taste. Cook until heated through. Garnish with sour cream.

DiFara Pizza


This is it...

This is my holy grail of cheesy goodness.

Like all quests for the "perfect" anything the way is fraught with peril, doom and despair.

To get this little slice of heaven you have to

  1. Trek out to Brooklyn (Avenue J and 15th or so)
  2. Wait an hour or more for your pizza to come out
  3. Observe every single person before you getting their pizza
  4. Worry whether the person behind you that ordered the same thing as you will try and get the pie before you
  5. Watch as Dom pulls pies out of the oven using his bare hands that, by now, must be made of asbestos
  6. Stake out your claim at one of the little tables inside OR
  7. Go to a park nearby where strange men will come up to you and talk about your pizza, other pizza places in Brooklyn and ask for a slice.
It's so worth it... so very worth it.