The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S. She chose macarons from Claudia Fleming’s The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern as the challenge recipe.
I was so excited when this month’s Daring Bakers challenge was announced. Finally, I get to learn how to make these dainty-looking pastries! I had [...]

A great way to use up leftover beef! In my case, a doggie bag steak from the restaurant!
Ingredients:

8 oz wide rice noodles
250 g beef, sliced thinly (leftovers work great!)
2 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sugar
5 thai bird chillis, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
a handful of fresh basil leaves
1 [...]

My friend Meldie makes a wonderfully tasty version of this Filipino dish. It is not so salty and just have the right spicing.  I think she uses raw shrimp paste and cooks it herself while I, on the other hand, relies on good old Barrio Fiesta spicy bagoong or shrimp paste.  My version adds coconut [...]