Sushi and Baking Extravaganza!

I have seriously fallen in love with Melissa!

Not only she is a great blogger, but she is an amazing baker and sushi preparer.

For dinner tonight Melissa set out on a mission to teach me to make Sushi. Of course I jumped at the chance to learn to make one of my favorite meals and was her eager student as she taught me to prepare and roll the delectable meal.

Here’s a sneak peak into her lessons -

Step One: Cook the Rice

We used a Short Grain Brown Rice. Melissa added extra water to the cooking process to make the rice extra sticky. Once the rice was cooked she spread it evenly in a baking pan and let it cool to room temperature.

Step Two: Prepare the Filling

Melissa thinly sliced Avocado, Cucumber, Zucchini, Carrots, Asparagus and Green Onion for the Veggies.

We steamed the Asparagus and Zucchini so they would be the right chewy texture in the sushi.

The use of Zucchini in the Sushi was in honor of our entry to the newly re-errected BSI contest courtesy of Biz at the Biggest Diabetic Loser… What do you think Biz.. does zucchini sushi sound good to you?

I also seared some Tuna with Blackened Spices and sliced some Mango for my own twist on the Sushi filling.

Step Three: Lay Out the Nori (seaweed wrap)

Step Four: Spread the Rice on the Nori

Put small spoonfuls of the rice on the nori and use your fingers to spread the rice into a thin layer across the seaweed. You want to dip you fingers in water so the rice won’t stick to your fingers.

Be sure to leave a wide edge of seaweed around the rice.

Step 5: Pick your Filling

Stack your toppings on the edge of the Nori

I had a little bit of everything on mine: Zucchini, Cucumber, Tuna, Green Onion, Carrot, Mango & Avocado

Step 6: Do the Roll

Very carefully pick up the bottom of the Nori and roll tightly into a log.

Went you get to the end lay the sushi roll cease side down and let it the moisture from the rise seal the nori shut.

Step 7: Slice it Up

Pat a dry with a damn paper towel to prevent the rice from sticking to the knife. Then grip the sushi roll and slice about 3/4 inch pieces of sushi between you fingers like so…

Step 8: Presentation

I fanned out my sushi in double rows on a plate. That was about as fancy as I got.

Step 9: EAT!!

I enjoyed my sushi with some soy sauce for dipping.

My Verdict?

IT WAS GREAT!!!

Seriously some of the best Sushi I have ever had and I made it all myself.. well Melissa did help me a little. I loved it because could pick exactly what went on it and how much to use. I can’t wait to make it on my own again. This is a great idea for a dinner party or a fun date. SO many possibilities with my new found sushi abilities.

BUT WAIT!!! …. THERE’S MORE!!!

Along with my sushi lesson, Melissa also gave me a lesson in Baking!

Now I like to bake, but I’m not very good at it. If you’re a regular reader of my blog then you might recalls times when I’ve baked in the past and have not been 100% satisfied with how things have turn out in the past. Melissa, however is a wonderful baker and I was eager to watch her do her thing and see if I could possibly improve my skills for the future.

We decided to make Chewy Chocolate Brownies and Ginger Snap Sticks. You can find the recipes on her blog.

First up the Brownies!

Pure, chocolate beautifulness. Look at all of those Chocolate and Butter Scotch chips shining through!

No Box needed, these were 100% from scratch!

I had a small sample of the brownie for dessert.

OMG YUM!!! It was SOOOO Chewy and Delicious! I literally licked the pan clean of all the chocolate and butterscotch bits that stuck on the bottom. This was heaven in a bowl!

Next up were the GInger Snap Sticks.

Again, all from scratch.

I had an end piece of this right out of the oven. Again, YUM!

I would like to take credit for these lovelies, but it was 100% Melissa! She rocks!

Whoa, what a post and what a night!

Its great having Melissa here, almost like having a temporary roommate. I mean she cooks for me, she bakes for me, she even helps with the dishes… what more could a girl ask for? lol

THANK YOU to Michelle from Strong and Healthy for her wonderful donation to my TNT efforts today. You ROCK too!!

Alright time to relax with a cup of hot tea and a Lifetime movie… Good Night!!