Peach Pie

Ingredients

• Double crust pie pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 5 cups sliced peeled peaches
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.
3. Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam.
4. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better warm than hot.

Herb Cream Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon each: minced fresh parsley, dill, thyme, rosemary (or 1/4 teaspoon each, dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Mix together all ingredients until fully combined and mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until needed. Use as desired.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (medium or long grain)
• 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 2 cups milk, and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. 
2. Beat egg and sugar together. Add 1/2 cup hot pudding to the egg mixture a little at a time, beating constantly so that the egg doesn't cook. Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and continue cooking until thickened, about 5 minutes over medium heat.
3. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, vanilla and cinnamon; cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool. Chill in refrigerator and serve.

Herb Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon salted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• Pinch of each: minced fresh dill, thyme, rosemary, ground pepper
• 2 slices sandwich bread, or other desired bread
• 2 slices American cheese, cheddar cheese, or other desired cheese

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, and herbs. 
2. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
3. On the un-buttered side of one slice of bread, add the cheese slices. Top with other slice of bread (butter should be on the outside of the sandwich).
4. Grill cheese in a nonstick skillet (or even on an actual grill!) over medium-high heat, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Crusty White Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups warm water (110-115F)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 Tablespoon white sugar
• 2 Tablespoons dry milk powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk powder (if desired), salt and bread flour and mix together until dough comes together in a large ball. Knead until dough forms a smooth ball, about 5-10 minutes. Put in a lightly greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
2. Punch dough to remove gas bubbles. Knead dough again and form into a log. Put in a greased 9x4-inch baking pan. Let rise again until dough almost reaches the lip of the pan, about 60 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake loaf until golden brown on top and inside registers 190F, about 35-40 minutes.
4. Let cool on wire rack. Slice and eat immediately, or store in the freezer.

Variations:

• Honey-Whole Wheat: Reduce water to 1 1/4 cups. Replace sugar with 1/4 cup honey. Substitute half of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. Proceed with recipe.

Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed well
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts, optional
• 2 Tablespoons rolled oats
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift flour, granulated sugar baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add coconut oil, bananas, coconut milk, and nuts (if desired). Fold until just combined. Pour into greased and floured 9x4-inch loaf/bread pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture and oats on top of the bread.
3. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator if not eating immediately.

Katsudon

Ingredients (for 1 serving)

• 50 ml water
• 1/4 tsp. hondashi powder
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1/4 small yellow onion, thickly sliced and slices separated
• 1 Tonkatsu cutlet
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Scallions, sesame seeds, or peas for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a small skillet or wok, mix together the water, hondashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until combined. Heat over medium-low heat until simmering, then add the onion pieces and cover with a lid. Cook until onion softens, about 2-3 mintues.
2. Add the sliced tonkatsu on top of the onions, and pour the beaten egg over the pork cutlet. Cover and cook again until egg is set, about 1-2 minutes.
3. In a serving bowl big enough in diameter to hold the tonkatsu, add the cooked rice. Pour the tonkatsu-egg mixture over the top of the rice (so that the tonkatsu still stays aligned) and garnish with green onion.
4. Serve immediately.

Tonkatsu

Ingredients (per 1 serving)

• 1 lean pork loin chop (1/2-inch thick)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 egg + 1/2 tsp. oil + 1 Tbsp. water (for egg coating)
• Flour
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs (fresh or "nama" panko preferred, but you can also spray dry panko with water and let sit for 15 minutes)
• Oil for deep frying
• Tonkatsu sauce (optional)
• Shredded cabbage (optional)

Directions

1. Remove extra fat from the pork chop and make a couple of slits on the connective tissue between the meat and fat. This prevents the meat from curling during frying (since meat and fat have different elasticity and therefore expand/shrink at different rates).
2. Pound meat with a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin. You can also use the back of a knife to crisscross the surface of the meat.
3. Season the meat with salt and pepper
4. In a large bowl or plate, whisk together the egg coating ingredients.
5. Dredge the pork chop in flour and remove excess flour.
6. Dip in egg mixture
7. Dredge in the panko crumbs. Remove excess panko, and press the crumbs into the meat so that they stick well.
8. Heat oil in a wok (or enamel-coated Dutch oven or other deep fryer or large pot) over medium high heat and wait until oil reaches 340 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, stick a chopstick in the oil and see if tiny bubbles start to appear around the tip of the chopstick. Alternatively, you can drop one piece of panko into the oil, and if it sinks down to the middle of oil and comes right up, then that’s around 340 as well. When the oil reaches to that temperature, gently lower Tonkatsu into the oil. Keep watching the oil’s temperature and make sure it doesn’t go over 340F or else it will burn.
9. Deep fry the tonkatsu for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. (Fry for more or less time depending on how thick your pork chop is.)
10. Remove tonkatsu from oil and let drain on wire rack (or paper towels) for 4 minutes. Do not cut while it rests, otherwise you will lose the juices. Meanwhile, remove crumbs and clean oil from the fryer with a mesh strainer.
11. Cut the tonkatsu into 6 pieces. Use a large knife and press straight down so the breading is not disturbed. Transfer to a plate and serve with cabbage and sauce immediately.

Notes:

• You can store tonkatsu after it's completely cooled in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven before serving.

Sourdough Bread (with yeast)

Ingredients

Starter:

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoon (1 packet) dry yeast
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Bread:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup starter, stir before using

Directions

1. In a glass bowl, add water and yeast. Mix the yeast into the water and let it sit for a couple minutes.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients for the starter. Mix well until everything is fully incorporated.
3. Wrap the bowl with clear wrap, making sure not to tightly seal the bowl. Let the starter breathe a little and keep it in a dark place at room temperature. Stir once a day for 5 days until making the dough. The starter will rise and shrink each day and you should see bubbles, letting you know that the yeast is being activated!
4. On day 5, combine all ingredients into a bowl, and knead for 10 minutes on low if using a machine; if kneading by hand, knead for 20 minutes until dough is stretchy yet doesn’t stick to your hands.
5. Place kneaded dough into a large bowl with a towel over the top, and let it rise for 12 hours.
6. Place risen dough onto a floured board and knead for a few minutes. Place it into a proofing basket or a medium bowl and let it rise for another 4 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Flip the dough onto a parchment paper, and transfer the dough and paper into a large cast-iron dutch oven.
9. Score the top of the bread.
10. Place the lid on top and bake for 30 minutes.
11. Take the lid off and bake for another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
12. Transfer onto a cooling rack and let it rest for an hour. Knock the bottom of the bread to listen for a hollow knock.
13. Enjoy it however you like!

Notes - Feeding Your Starter:

1. Your starter will last forever as long as you maintain and care for it. It can stay in the fridge and be fed once a week with a teaspoon of sugar.
2. To replenish your starter, simply add 1 cup of flour and ½ cup of water, mix, and place it back in the fridge.
3. Leave it out overnight to get to room temperature before preparing the dough.