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Candied Ginger

Ginger in any form is a huge player in my house. At any given time, I have more than 3 different forms of ginger root in my house. Today I have candied ginger, pickled ginger, powdered ginger and ginger syrup. All will be used and eaten and will be replaced by…. EVEN MORE GINGER.

In case you weren’t already aware, ginger is a celebrated ingredient the world over, with its roots (haha, pun intended) being in Asia, specifically China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. It’s used in India extensively, Burma, the Caribbean and even Western cuisine. Depending on where you are, the use of ginger varies.

I use ginger in the traditional Asian way, flavoring seafood, vegetarian and meat dishes. I also make my own pickled ginger, like what is served with sushi. I use it in the Western way in ginger drinks, gingerbread and candied ginger. I use it in Indian pulse curries and spiced masala chai on occasion. Basically, I find it to be one of the most versatile ingredients out there.

Find the recipe for my candied ginger here.

December 24, 2018
Aquaman Trident Cookies

So normally, this would be a trident. The original blonde animated Aquaman carried a golden trident (unless you’re referring to the Trident of Neptune, yes I am a nerd). But I like Jason Momoa a lot, and I love his silver trident, except… IT’S NOT A TRIDENT. Technically its a pentadent but we’re gonna call it a trident for the simplicity of it.

So I made cookies… and by cookies I mean one big ass chocolate chip cookie that I molded into a trident shape the best I could, baked it and then frosted it with icing. I really hope that Jason Momoa would approve of this cookie, as it was made in his honor since he may as well be the coolest Aquaman I’ve ever seen.

December 21, 2018
Holiday Sangria

Don’t know what to bring to your next holiday party? Try this Holiday Sangria! It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. This drink is made with white wine. I chose a chardonnay as it has light citrus and oaky flavors. It also has a more velvety texture which will hold up to the fruit. Brandy is added to the sangria to round it out and give it some more body. Instead of a sweetener I used white cranberry juice. The orange and lime highlight the citrus and balance the spices. Apple and cranberry cuts the sweetness with a subtle sourness, and also adds some holiday flair.

Try the recipe for yourself HERE!

December 20, 2018
Gingerbread People Review

Zoe’s Take:

7/10

I like gingerbread a lot, and these were no different. The biggest problem is that the recipe called for a cake mix that basically doesn’t exist, volume wise, which made the dough very wet. I remedied this by adding more flour. Another problem was because of the cake mix, the gingerbread expanded way more than if I had made the dough from scratch. The gingerbread was very good though, and very moist and chewy, exactly what I was looking for. I decorated each gingerbread person very simply, but they could very well be complex and done with royal icing. Definitely good, but definitely some issues.

Eric’s Take

8/10

I enjoyed making this recipe. The shortcut for this cookie was a spice cake mix. Again, the recipe called for a size that didn’t exist anymore. I also added a tad extra flour and this helped a lot. This was my first time making gingerbread and I had fun doing it. I also decorated very simply. This recipe lost one point for the texture as it was chewy and less traditional. I also dropped it a point for taste. I didn’t overly love the flavor. It was a bit bland and needed some more sweetness. Overall I enjoyed the process and cookies. I gave these cookies away as gifts, and they received very good reviews.

December 19, 2018
Tomato and Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

I think that many of us have childhood (or adulthood) memories of eating a melty grilled cheese with a bowl of tomato soup. I actually don’t have the tomato soup part, but grilled cheese, definitely.

But since I was making my own soup… I just had to try it. And guess what, I liked it a lot, so this will definitely be something I eat more of.

I originally created this recipe as a soup shot that could be served as an hors d’oeurves at a party or an event. Think double shot glasses with a tiny grilled cheese hanging off the rim. Cute, stylish and people ooh and ahh over something so adorable and yet so delicious. You can still use this recipe for that purpose, or make full bowls and tons of grilled cheese! I don’t know your life.

Oh, and if you’re really not into making your own soup, just get it in a can. I won’t know.

Get the recipe here!

December 18, 2018
Zoe’s 24 Hour French Onion Soup

To tell you the whole truth, I don’t normally choose to eat soup. I like to chew my calories thank you very much. This soup however, is a very big exception to this rule.

First off, I only make it in the winter. Warm and comforting, it’s something to look forward to on these cold winter nights. Second, making it is a HUGE tease. Since the onions are caramelizing over low heat overnight, the whole house smells amazing. I can smell it while I sleep and I just dream of French Onion Soup.

My version of this soup is not classic, but I think that’s what makes it so good. The balsamic vinegar adds a lovely tanginess that contrasts the richness of the beef stock and the sweetness of the caramelized onions.

If you’re really into cheese, like I am, I add the pieces I can’t shred on my grater right into the soup while it’s cooking. I can’t even begin to explain how amazing it is to come across of piece of mostly melted cheese swimming in onion while eating this soup.

A final tip for you is that if you have the optionto, use a ciabatta bread with roasted garlic in it for your toasts, it willbring the soup to a whole other level.

Find the recipe here,and rejoice because this soup is so amazing!

December 17, 2018
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Tequila Buttercream

I have been asked for this recipe multiple times since I created it. Earlier this year, I competed in an online recipe competition in which I had to use the chocolate brand Callebaut to make a recipe for a specific category. I competed in 4 different categories in the competition and in two of those categories I made it to the final round. These cupcakes were one of the two that made it.

I enjoyed making these cupcakes immensely, and even more so, enjoyed eating them. These cupcakes are not very sweet, and have a little kick of spicy in the cake itself. The buttercream on the other hand, is sweet and very alcoholic. The tequila is not cooked out, so all of the taste and all of the alcohol is still present.

I love love love these cupcakes, and I definitely want to see them if you make them! Please tag @withzoeanderic and @chefzoe on Instagram, post the picture on our Facebook page, or post in the comments on this post!

Find the recipe here!

December 15, 2018
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse Cookies!

To celebrate Into the Spider Verse today, we made some delicious Spiderman cookies for the premier! Chocolate chip cookies covered in sugary sweet icing? I think Peter Parker would approve.

December 14, 2018
Peppermint Hot Chocolate

When I was young, we used to visit our family friends in Concord, Massachusetts. It would snow and be freezing and Patricia would take out the snowman mugs and the container of chocolate powder and tiny marshmallows, and make us delicious hot chocolate.

I can also flash back to the many ski trips I had out west. The kids would be in ski school while the adults combed the mountain. On our many breaks out of the cold, there was always hot chocolate. I can just smell it by recalling the memory. But that hot chocolate is made from powder. This hot chocolate, it isn’t.

Smooth dark chocolate, whole milk and maybe a touch of cream… maybe some non-traditional spices? Topped with whipped cream and candy cane crumble? Perfect for freezing cold night.

Find the recipe here.

December 13, 2018
Cranberry Cereal Wreaths

Zoe’s Take:

5.5/10

These looked really promising in the cookbook… however, I definitely had some doubts. First of all, it’s a whole lot of sugary sweetness in one cookie. White chocolate is very sweet, and paired with dried fruit (also very sweet), cornflakes, almonds and marshmallows, it was just way too much. Don’t get me wrong, I like sweet things. But these were just way too sweet for me. Then there’s the fact that actually making them is a very messy process. I used a very large mixing bowl, and ingredients still kept coming out while I was mixing it. Also, it’s a little bit impossible to mix cornflakes gently. Finally, actually shaping the wreaths was a PAIN. I was smart and used gloves, but I don’t think most home cooks keep gloves for cooking in their pantry. They didn’t want to stick together and making the hole in the center was even more frustrating. They took about 15 minutes to cool down and dry and THEN they stuck together pretty well. I do like that they are very good for decorating.

Eric’s Take:

6/10

This was a disappointment for me. I felt the same way Zoe did. Everything started out well. The ingredients were easy to find and put together. Everything changed when it came time to form the wreathes. The batter was very sticky, but as I made the holes and formed the wreathes as instructed, they started to fall apart. I can give the recipe the benefit of the doubt though. For this recipe I believe timing is critical. Once the white chocolate begins to cool it’s more difficult for the mix to keep a shape. The ones that made it hardened and were easy to decorate and transfer to a plate, which I was worried about. They second major problem…again, much like Zoe I felt they were too sweet. I don’t like super sweet things, so these made me cringe a bit. I think they would be great paired with other treats though, and would make a lovely addition to a cookie plate.

December 12, 2018