Substitute in your Honey Mustard Dressing

Sometimes I make homemade Honey Mustard Dressing for my salad at home, but lately I haven't been able to because we have run out of honey in our kitchen.  Yesterday I it just hit me, to use Maple Syrup as a substitute.  It doesn't tastes as great as the honey in the recipe, but it's a reasonable swap out.

I guess if I'm going to post about cooking, I should probably provide my recipe too.  For Warning:  I'm not the type of cook that uses measurements.  I just wing everything and change to taste.  So here's the closest I can record for you.

Ingredients

·         1 Part Honey (or 2 Parts Maple Syrup)

·         1 Part Mustard

·         1 Part Mayo

·         3 Parts Rice Wine Vinegar

Instructions

Whisk to combined, than use to dress any salad or marinate any meats.

Plush Dim Sum

I couldn't sleep one night so I pulled out a project that I bought stuff for but never started. 

The dimsum stuffing I used circles of fleece to create a shape and stuffed more cotton in just as I would for a dumpling.  Than I covered it with a large pink circle and sewed in the pleates. 

I used some orange glass seed beads I had and "sprinkled" on the egg roe. 

Ok I really sewed them on.

Whoops the picture is side ways

Look you can pick it up with chopsticks.

The dimsum basket I actually got at a Japanese Two Dollar store in Vancouver BC.

Cooking with Racks

Today I've decided to share with people some simple tips to cooking with racks.

  

Racks above the Rice - Saves Effort and Energy

Your rice cooker can do more than make perfect rice.  It can also be used as a steamer.  Put in some racks above the rice & water before you start cooking (sorry my photo is from after it's done cooking). and put a bowl of veggies or meat and hit the start button.

When your rice is done you'll also be blessed with a side dish of healthy food.  It saves energy because you’re not using another pot on a burner or in the stove.  It saves effort because you don’t have to watch it to worry about it being undercooked or over cooked.  And it's healthy; no need for cooking oil and it's still very moist.

  

So I'm betting that some people are thing, Oh gross, steamed meat?  Well If you've ever experience Dim Sum than you've more than like enjoyed the wonders of Chinese steam dishes.  With this, I shall give you my impromptu recipe for Chinese Steamed Pork Ribs.

Ingredients

• 2 Rows of Pork spare Ribs about 1/2 inch thick (found in Asian grocery store, or you can ask your butcher to cut your spare ribs across the bones)
• Teaspoon of Fermented Black Beans (found in Asian grocery stores)
• 1 Minced Garlic Clove
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch

First thoroughly combine mix everything but the corn starch.  Next sprinkle the cornstarch over the ribs giving a light coating to every piece.  Try to arrange the meat to be evenly spaced apart.  Put your bowl onto the racks above uncooked rice in a rice pot, and hit go.  When your rice is ready, so will your meat

I promise this will be delicious. 

Chopsticks as Racks - Saves Money



Fried food on racks help it cool down without getting that soggy bottom syndrome.  I discovered using chopsticks is a great rack substitute.  I came across this because all my racks were being used for the steamed spare ribs from above.  It elevates the food, works as a rack, and because i have a stack of chopsticks in my drawer I can make it any size I want.

Hope these cooking tips can be of some use to you.
-SmallRiniLady