Allison's Blog

Recently I have signed up to receive a CSA box every other week. For those who don't know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You can purchase a share from a local farm who has the CSA program, and you will receive a box full of fruits and vegetables every week (or every other week for a half share). This week, I got three zucchinis in my box. While I wasn't sure about what to do with some of the vegetables that I wouldn't necessarily buy on my own, there was no question about what to do with the zucchinis - three batches of zucchini bread.

Zucchini bread is coveted in my family. It is always quick to disappear, so if I want any, I had better get to it before my siblings and my parents eat it up. Unfortunately, my mother doesn't make zucchini bread very often... usually only every couple of months or so.

Of course, when I moved out, zucchini bread was one of the first things I learned to make. It's such a perfect breakfast bread, and when there's a loaf sitting around, I often make a snack out of it.

Imagine walking along the beach on a bright summer day. The cool salt water rushes in to swirl around your ankles, then races away playfully. A slight breeze brings a whiff of salty ocean air. You hear seagulls squawking all around you. The taste of the briny ocean air is on your lips as you watch the sun set over the immense ocean.

After a perfect day at the beach, you need a perfect meal, so why not a summery barbecue? To me, summer means one thing - lots of grilling. Perhaps some sweet, salty, teriyaki marinated shrimp on the barbecue. Absolute heaven. Wonderfully delicious. A perfect summer dish.

If you're a sushi lover, this shrimp is amazing in a roll, especially if you pair it with some grilled onions. Yum!

Cheesecake has always been one of my absolute favorite desserts. I love the rich, smooth cream cheese filling, the crumbly, sweet graham cracker crust, and how incredibly easy it is to make. There are hundreds of cheesecake recipes out there. They range from the easy no-bake cheesecakes, to the cheesecakes with complicated fillings that you bake in springform pans.

This recipe is my all-time favorite cheesecake recipe, ever. It has two layers: the typical sweet cream cheese filling, and then a slightly sour, but oh so smooth sour cream topping. It requires some baking, but really is so easy, a child could make it. This is my grandmother's recipe, and it shows up at nearly every family function I go to.

Macaroni and Cheese with a Twist!

Every year, there is a fantastic event called A Taste of Yellow, hosted by Winos and Foodies. This is a food blogger event in support of LiveSTRONG Day, which is on May 13th this year. Each participant has to take a picture of some sort of yellow food, and include the LiveSTRONG wristband in the picture.

This year was the first time participating in the event, and because my father survived prostate cancer and my brother is fighting leukemia right now, I thought it would be more than appropriate for me to join in. I decided to make this macaroni and cheese recipe in support of my family. If you would like to read more about my family's battle with cancer, you can see the original post on my blog, SushiDay.com.

A Sushi Roll, Cut in Half

Everyone loves sushi. Okay, not everyone, but everyone should! Unfortunately, it can get very expensive if you are satisfying your sushi cravings by going out to eat at sushi bars often. Luckily, it's actually very easy to roll sushi at home! Plus, at home you can use whatever ingredients YOU like, so there are many more options. Not to mention, it's infinitely cheaper than going out for sushi so often. It takes a bit of practice to roll sushi perfectly, so don't worry if you don't get it right on the first try! (I sure didn't!) Just keep trying, and keep in mind - even if they don't look so great, they are still edible!! Mistakes taste just as good as perfectly rolled sushi! :) Read More »

Spam Musubi

Spam musubi is a popular Hawaiian snack using spam, rice, and nori (seaweed used for sushi). I find it to be really yummy and not too difficult to make. The marinated and fried spam tastes almost like unagi (eel), in an odd roundabout way... trust me, it's good! (I know many of you turn your noses up at the idea of spam (the food), but it's actually pretty good! Try it scrambled in eggs too :) Yum!)

For nutrition facts, visit the original post on my blog, SushiDay.com.

Tempura shrimp, all ready to eat!

Tempura is the perfect party snack. Everyone loves tempura - it's more or less healthy (since it is mostly made with vegetables), most everyone likes fried foods, and yet it's not heavy like many fried foods are... it's actually pretty light! Most anything can be tempura fried. Typically sliced vegetables and shrimp are the normal tempura fare, but meats, sushi (yum!), and even bananas can be tempura fried! (Just make sure you get an underripe banana, because it softens when you fry it so ripe bananas will fall apart. Don't believe me? Look at this post on my website where I used a tempura fried banana in sushi!)

I originally posted this tempura recipe on my website, SushiDay.com.