Creme Saint-Honore (Cream Puff Filling)

Creme Saint-Honore is a custard filling with beaten egg whites. I originally made Creme Patissiere and complained it was too thick. After watching Julie & Julia, AHM got inspired to buy Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and I used the Creme Saint-Honore recipe from her book and LOVE it. It's so light and airy, a lot like Beard Papa's. I wish I had a vanilla bean and it would be perfect. With that said, I deleted the original gross pastry cream recipe I used to fill my cream puffs.

Creme Saint-Honore (Custard Filling with Beaten Egg Whites)
About 5 to 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup flour (scooped and leveled)
• 2 cups boiling milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract (I only put in 1 teaspoon)
• 8 egg whites (I used 9 because I had 4 left over from the first pastry cream attempt)
• Big pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Gradually beat the1 cup of sugar into the egg yolks and continue beating for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and forms the ribbons.
2. Beat in the flour.
3. Beating the yolk mixture, gradually pour on the boiling milk in a thin stream of droplets.
4. Pour into saucepan and set over moderately high heat. Stire with wire whisk reaching all over bottom of pan. As sauce comes to a boil it will get lumpy, but will smooth out as you beat it. When boil is reached, beat over moderately low heat for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour. Be careful custard does not scorch in bottom of pan.
5. Remove from heat and beat in the butter then add the vanilla extract. Move into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites and salt together until soft peaks are formed.
7. Sprinkle the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.
8. Stir one quarter of the egg whites into the hot custard.
9. Fold in the rest 1/3 at a time.
10. If the cream is to be served cold, chill it in the refrigerator.
    

This can be used for filling cream puffs, tarts or eaten as a dessert cream!

Pesto Cheesy Chicken Rolls

Isn't it beautiful?

In my adventure to learn to cook more proteins, I found this chicken recipe from Allrecipes.com. Fool-proof method on Allrecipes? Go for the one with hundreds of reviews still in the 4 1/2 stars and up range and read the comments from other cooks.

Anyways, Anh 2 Mike & I were skeptical to if chicken would look good sent straight to the oven so I pan-seared it on medium-high until brown then put it in the oven.

OMG! This has to be the best chicken I cooked to date. Usually when I cook chicken (unless it's in a casserole), I hate it. It's dry, over cooked and just unappealing. Today's chicken was so good, I'm so proud of myself. Who knew! I definitely recommend this recipe and in the future want to try it with artichoke heart and Parmigiana Reggiano.

Here is the recipe with my modifications (Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com):

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 1 cup prepared basil pesto
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Approximately 4 sundried tomatoes per chicken, julienne
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Put about 1-2 tablespoon of oil in an oven-safe pan (we used our cast iron skillet) and heat up on medium high.
   
3. Salt and pepper the chicken.
4. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pesto sauce onto each flattened chicken breast.
   
5. Spread shredded cheese over the pesto. Roll up tightly, and secure with toothpicks.
   
6. Place the chicken in the hot pan seam side down. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes a side or until golden brown. Put the oven-safe pan into the oven
   
7. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken is nicely browned and juices run clear (I checked to see when the internal temperature was 180 degrees).
   

Lime and Honey-Glazed Salmon with Basmati and Broccolini

I wanted to start working on cooking proteins more. Bao and Anh 2 Mike says the flavor is good but I think I learned something today...I don't like salmon. I only like salmon raw or cooked. I just don't like the taste of cooked salmon...and I cooked it perfectly, not overcooked at all (according to the difficult critics, Anh 2 Mike and Bao).

But if you like salmon, this is a good recipe. I learned that the rice took 10 minutes to cook before adding the salmon in my oven.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lime peel
2 tablespoons honey (I put a lot more than 2 tbsps...more like 5. lol)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 3 large)
1 1/2 cups basmati rice (9 to 10 ounces)
3 1/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
4 5-to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
1 bunch broccolini, bottom inch trimmed, stalks separated if necessary

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk lime juice, lime peel, honey, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and soy sauce in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in large deep ovenproof skillet or casserole (with lid) over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, then 3 1/4 cups broth; bring to boil. Cover skillet tightly with lid; place in oven and bake 10 minutes (rice will be almost cooked through and most of broth will be absorbed; mix in more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry).

Remove skillet from oven. Sprinkle rice lightly with salt. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and arrange on rice, pressing in lightly. Tuck broccolini in around fish, with stems anchored in rice. Spoon 1 tablespoon lime mixture over each salmon fillet. Cover skillet tightly and return to oven; bake until salmon is just opaque in center and broccolini is crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining lime mixture over fish and rice; sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and serve from skillet.

Credits:
Bon Appétit
October 2009
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Cream Puffs

Fresh out of the oven!

I decided to bring my childhood back by making Monkey Bread first, and now homemade Cream Puffs. I used the Joy of Cooking recipe for both the Choux Paste (Pate A Choux) and the Pastry Cream. Both turned out great!

Choux Paste
About 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  

Preparation:

1. Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium heat.
2. Remove from heat and add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon.
   
3. Once incorporated, return to high heat to cook flour. The mixture will look rough at first but it will suddenly become smooth, at which point you should stir faster. The butter may ooze out, which is fine; it simply means that the moisture is evaporating. In a few minutes, the paste will become dry and not cling to the spoon or the sides of the pan, and when the spoon is pressed on it lightly, it will leave a smooth imprint. Do not overcook or overstir at this point, or the dough will fail to puff.
4. Transfer to mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add one egg at a time on stir on a stand mixer, low on a hand mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon. Make sure that the paste is smooth each time before adding the next egg.
   
6. Continue to beat with each egg until the dough is smooth and shiny. The proper consistency has been reached when a small quantity of the dough will stand erect if scooped up on the end of a spoon.
   

Cooking Cream Puff Shells:
Makes about a 15 puffs

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Scoop the paste into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (I also used a star tip and it looks cute). Shape the paste into puffs on a ungreased baking sheet.
3. Before baking, lightly sprinkle a few drops of water over the shapes on the pan for a light, airy texture.
4. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and very firm to the touch.
6. Remove to a rack and cool completely.

Pastry Cream (UPDATED 01/01/2010):
I deleted the original recipe because it was gross and added the Creme Saint-Honore from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking here. Use this instead!

Assemble cream puffs:

1. I used a star tip and filled each puff from the bottom.
2. You can dust w/ powdered sugar, or drizzle chocolate or just eat it plain to serve!
   

Original cream was too thick.
Use the Creme Saint-Honore recipe I added later.
WAY BETTER!

Zucchini & Mushroom Casserole

This is a modification of the original zucchini stuffing recipe that Lisa Mann gave me. I like mushrooms, so I sauteed mushroom with onions and added it to the recipe. Bao likes those fried onions in green bean casserole...so I threw that in too! Turned out great and probably better than the original. Here is the recipe w/ the new modifications:

Zucchini and Mushroom Casserole

Recipe Details:
Makes 1 - 2 quart casserole
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes


Ingredients:

• 6 large (6 cups) zucchinis (chopped to 1/2 inch rounds)
• 1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup - use only 2/3 of the can
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 box of Stove Top chicken stuffing
• 1 small yellow onion - finely diced
• 1 box of crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 1/2 cup of canned fried onions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook zucchini in lightly salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and place in a large bowl.
3. Sauteed mushroom and onion until mushrooms are tender.
4. Stir the zucchini, mushrooms, condensed soup, sour cream, onion, 1 cup of fried onions, and half of the dry stuffing.
5. In a small bowl, mix together remaining stuffing and melted butter.
6. Put the zucchini mixture into the prepared dish. Top with the stuffing mixture.
7. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown.

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Balsamic Compote

I love panna cotta so when Anh Hai Mike and Bao suggested I make panna cotta for our Xmas dinner I was up for the challenge. I found this recipe on epicurious.com. It was simple to make and delicious! The strawberry sauce sounds weird but it is SO good!

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
Panna cotta
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 cups whipping cream
1 1/4 cups plain goat's-milk or whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar

Strawberries
2 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preparation
For panna cotta:
Pour 2 tablespoons water into small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Whisk 1 cup cream, yogurt, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Heat remaining 1 cup cream and 1/2 cup sugar in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and cream comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture, stirring to dissolve gelatin. Mix hot cream-gelatin mixture into yogurt mixture in bowl. Divide mixture among six 3/4-cup ramekins, using about 1/2 cup for each. Refrigerate desserts uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

For strawberries:
Toss strawberries, vinegar, sugar, and pepper in large bowl to combine. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Spoon strawberries over panna cotta and serve.

Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Skewers

This is Bao's recipe and Anh 2 Mike made the batch photographed above by me.
I'm just posting it to take credit. Haha...kidding.

Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Skewers
These are so refreshing and delicious you really can't eat just one! It's best eaten all in one bite.

Ingredients

• Goat cheese, rolled into 1/2 inch balls
  
• Crushed unsalted pistachios
• Sun-dried tomatoes, straightened out and cut in half
• Grape tomato, halved
• Basil leave, torn into 1/2 inch pieces
• Skewers or toothpicks

Preparation

1. Roll the goat cheese into 1/2 inch balls then roll the balls onto the crushed pistachios.
2. Skew the half tomato, then the basil, then the sun-dried tomato and last the goat cheese ball at the end.

cake balls

Little bite-sized cakes, whats not to love? This recipe is very easy and so open for modifications and variations. Use any box cake or even your own cake recipe with any frosting combination and its sure to be a big hit! Add more chocolate, sprinkles, or nuts for decorations. Great for gifts and favors!

Ingredients

• -1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
• -1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting
• -1 bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating (or almond bark or bakers chocolate squares
• 
  
• Directions

1. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, let cool for 30 minutes and crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
2. Use a melon baller or small scoop or spoons to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Place on wax paper on top of baking sheet.
3. Place prepared balls in freezer for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight. 
4. Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
5. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.
6. Enjoy!

Tips

-If cake balls are breaking while being dipped in chocolate, they need to be chilled longer

-If adding decorative details, be sure to place them on the chocolate dipped ball before the chocolate sets. If drizzling chocolate on top of the dipped balls, do so after the chocolate has set. 

Cinnamon-Caramel Bread Pudding

Anh Hai Mike actually made this last year for Thanksgiving and we had some leftover and Hong and Linh got to try it. When she asked for the recipe this year, we had no idea where it was. We got it off of our Bon Appetit magazine and luckily found it online.

Photograph by Sian Kennedy - Bon Appetit

Cinnamon-Caramel Bread Pudding
Makes 16

Ingredients

• 20 3 1/2x3 1/2-inch slices cinnamon-raisin bread (not ends)
• 12 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups chilled whipping cream, divided
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Purchased caramel sauce, warmed
  

Directions

1. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes. Place in very large bowl. Whisk eggs, milk, 1 cup cream, and next 4 ingredients in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Pour egg mixture over bread; toss to coat. Cover with plastic and place plate on top to submerge bread in egg mixture. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Stir bread mixture; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter sixteen 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins; divide between 2 roasting pans. Divide bread mixture among cups. Add enough hot water to pans to come halfway up sides of cups.
4. Bake puddings until puffed, edges are golden, and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. DO AHEAD Let puddings stand at room temperature up to 2 hours.
5. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until peaks form. Serve puddings warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and warm caramel sauce.
   

Monkey Bread

Something from our childhood - I think we all remember making this one with Co Muoi as kids. Bao and I ate it and agree it tastes like our childhood...some foods just brings back so many memories!



Monkey Bread Recipe
(Adapted from AllRecipes.com...my changes are highlighted in color)

Ingredients

• 2 (16 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional) *I didn't use raisins but want to try rum raisins next time
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch Bundt® pan.
2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using nuts and raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.
   

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Probably the only frosting I will make from now on. So light and creamy but not very sweet. Easier to make than it sounds!

Ingredients

Makes about 4 1/2 cups, enough for about 24 cupcakes

• 1 cup sugar
• 5 large egg whites
• 2 cups (4 sticks or 1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  

Directions

1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment on medium high, and add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
4. With the paddle attachment, beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Great video for reference:

Gulliver Creamed Corn

Adapted from Hong.

Ingredients

• 2 16 oz. bags frozen kernel corn (defrosted)
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour mixed with 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring the whipping cream to a boil. Reduce the heat and add corn. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, and sugar. Make a paste out of the butter and flour, and stir into the corn and cook until thickened. Turn corn into oven proof dish, sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. Can refrigerate up to 4 days. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

Note: It's very important that you cook the butter/flour for a while to get rid of the flour taste. I'd say about 10 minutes.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

From the Cake Doctor, I used this recipe to bake up the Cookie Monster cupcakes for the babies' 1st birthday. This was a favorite among Vil and Shanielle. If the skinny people ate more than one, you know it's good! Combined with the Swiss Meringue buttercream, it was delicious.

Jackie did an variation of this using mint oreos and devil's food cake mix that was also killer.

Ingredients

• 30 Oreo cookies
• 1 package (18.25) plain white cake mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Buttercream frosting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Count out 12 Oreos and separate top and bottom. Make sure some of them still have icings on it. Put the half cookie with icing side up on the bottom of the cupcake liners.
   
3. Put the other 12 half and remaining Oreos in a large ziplock bag and crush. Set this aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla and crushed Oreos.
   
5. Fill liners with batter 3/4 full.
   
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool then frost!

Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is courtesy of Paula Deen & the Food Network. Mike says it's the best pie I made so far (and I usually stick to what's on the Libby's cans when it comes to a recipe). Combined with a pie crust recipe that I learned from my friend Jessica H (won constantly wins pie contests with her awesome peach pie) it turned out really yummy.

Ingredients

* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
* 1 cup half-and-half
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
* 1 piece pre-made pie dough (I made my own)
* Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Orange-balsamic Glazed Chicken

I was watching TV just like any other day and I saw Rachael Ray making this dish. I looked it up online, and what do you know-- I have all the ingredients! Instead of fresh rosemary however, I used dried and it still turned out great. Wonderful balance of sweet and tangy... enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or any combination of light and dark meat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped
• 4 cups baby arugula

Directions

In a large pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high to high heat.

Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the oil is hot and ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Add the scallions during the last minute of cooking time. Arrange on a serving platter and serve topped with arugula greens.

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

This one we made up and it turned out great. Who really needs a recipe for BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad?

INGREDIENTS

• romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• cilantro, chopped
• cotija cheese, crumbled
• english cucumber, chopped
• tomatoes, chopped
• avocado, chopped
  
• chicken breast, chopped
• Sweet Baby Ray Ray bbq sauce
• Ranch dressing

Directions

• Toss and serve!
  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

So quick and so easy. Great to take to lunch the next day!


Adapted from Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 can green chile peppers, drained
• fresh cilantro, chopped
  
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• a little cumin
  
• salt & pepper to taste
• sour cream, optional but highly recommended
  
• cotija cheese, optional but highly recommended
• fresh avocado, sliced, optional
  

DIRECTIONS

• Dump it all in the pot (except chicken) and cook until it boils!
• Using a hand blender, blend until smooth. Add chicken.
  
• Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, fresh avocado, cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.
• Enjoy!
  

(Blueberry) Oatmeal Pancakes

Oatmeal blended into the batter is a good way to get the family to have some oatmeal in their diet! These are delicious and easy to make. I added 1 cup of blueberries into the batter. The sweetness of the maple syrup compliments the tartness of the fresh blueberries. I'm thinking about grounding up some macadamia nuts into the batter and adding sliced bananas for a Hawaiian inspired version!

TIP: I mixed the dry ingredients the night before because I'm really lazy in the morning. When I woke up, I just had to mix in the wet ingredients which took a second and started cookin'

Blueberry oatmeal pancakes...yum.

RECIPE: Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats (I used regular not quick cooking oats)
  
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (I used regular milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, vanilla, oil and egg in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Stir in one cup of blueberries (or any other mix in)
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Classic Buttery Yellow Cupcakes

I like this recipe because it's a firm cake so it will make decorating easier. Plus it has a very nostalgic taste. Makes you feel like a kid again!

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (18.5 ounce) plain butter recipe yellow cake mix
• 1 pkg (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.
2. Throw all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Blend on low with an electric mixer for 30 seconds until all the ingredients are well blended then stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Increase the mixer to medium and beat for 1 to 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should be smooth and thickened. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. Place the pans in the oven.
3. Bake until they are golden and spring b ack when lightly pressed with your finger, about 24 to 27 minutes.
4. Remove and cool on wire racks for 5 minutes in the pan.
5. Remove cupcakes and cool on wire rack alone for another 15 minutes.
6. Frost then serve.
   

Chocolate Pistachio Trifle

I made this trifle for my sister and brother-in-law during their stay in California for their 4th of July visit. It came out perfectly. (So glad they didn't eat it for breakfast since I left them home alone with it!)



(Adapted from the Chocolate Trifle recipe from allrecipes.com)

SERVINGS: 12 servings (One trifle bowl)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli's dark chocolate brownie mix)
  
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding mix
• 2 - 1/2 cup water
• 2 - (1/2 pint) heavy whipping cream
• 2 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy, optional (I used mini chocolate chips sometimes)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare brownies according to box. Let completely cool. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. Whip up heavy whipping cream. Meanwhile, mix chocolate pudding mix with 1/2 cup of water. Fold the whipped cream with the pudding & water mixture. Fold in 1/2 (4-ounces) of the thawed whipped topping until you can no longer see any white streaks.
3. Repeat step 2 with the pistachio pudding mix.
4. In a trifle bowl, layer half of the brownies cubes, then 1/2 the chocolate mousse, then 1/2 the pistachio mousse, then half of the existing container of whipped topping. Repeat layers. Top with shaved chocolate bar or mini chocolate chips. Chill for 8 hours before serving.

Spam Clay Pot-like Rice

This is my twist on the classic Cantonese sausage clay pot rice. Instead of using using lap cheung and clay pot white rice, I used Spam and stir fried brown rice.

UPDATE: I procrastinated writing this recipe so it may not be completely accurate. If you found something that isn't right, please tell me and I will update it.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups cooked brown rice
  
• 1/2 can SPAM sliced into 1 in by 1/2 in and 1/4 in thick pieces
• 8 black mushroom caps, stems removed and sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon ginger minced
• 1/2 tablespoon dried shrimp coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• dash of sesame oil
• dash of white pepper
  
• 1 sprig of cilantro (leaves only) roughly chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pan fry SPAM until crispy. Remove SPAM pan and set aside.
2. Combine soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil into bowl and set aside.
3. Add canola oil to pan and heat on high until just smoking.
4. Add dried shrimp and ginger to pan and stir fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add mushrooms to pan and stir fry for 3 minutes.
6. Add SPAM back into pan and then add the rice. Stir fry to mix.
7. Add soy sauce and pepper to mixture. Stir fry for 3 more minutes to thoroughly mix.
8. Add cilantro and quickly mix.
9. Remove rice from heat and serve hot.
   

Delicious Lemony Salmon, Cream Cheese & Dill Crepes

It really is all in the name. This is my first attempt in contributing to this blog. Bare with me. As you all know I never really measure any ingredients, so if you're attempting to replicate this... good luck.. and let me know how it tastes!!

Ingredients:
Already Made Crepes (don't judge me)
Smoked Salmon
Fresh Dill
Cream Cheese
Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette
Baby Romaine Lettuce
Pepper
Lemon

The best part about this recipe is the fact that I did not cook any of it. I will now describe how these babies were assembled:

1. Heat the crepes (do not do this for too long, they will end up like crackers.... yes, this is by experience... )
2. Combine cream cheese, chopped dill, and pepper together. Spread onto the crepe.
3. Place Smoked Salmon with a squeeze of lemon onto the cheese
4. Toss romaine in vinaigrette and place on top of salmon
5. Wrap it up, and enjoy!!


Don't be a jerk. I know the garnish is just ridiculous. I tried, okay?!

Van's Tuna Salad

I didn't take any photos because... well, I was too hungry! haha I'm sure everyone in the family has a tasty tuna salad recipe and doesn't need mine, but I added cumin powder and spicy honey mustard and it gave it just the kick it needed!

Ingredients:

- 2 cans of tuna (6 or 7 oz each)

- 6 tbsp miracle whip or mayonnaise

- 1 tbsp sweet honey mustard

- 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish

- 1 tbsp minced dried onion

- 1 dash cumin powder

- 1 pinch garlic powder

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve with crackers or bread. For another variation, put on a bun with a slice of cheddar, and toast for a tuna salad melt.

Enjoy!

Perfect Red-Dyed Egg

After some trial and error, I finally got a dye mixture that produced a nice deep red egg. There eggs are beautiful for red egg and ginger parties.


INGREDIENTS

• 8 eggs
  
• 1 fl oz liquid red dye
  
• 8 cups cold water
• 1/8 cup + 1 tblspn white vinegar
  
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Olive oil for polishing
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a stainless steel pot, add water, dye, vinegar, salt, and eggs.
   
2. Bring liquid to boil.
   
3. Once the liquid is in full boil, turn off fire and remove from heat.
4. Cover the pot and let sit for 15 minutes.
5. Remove eggs from liquid and let cool on wiring rack.
6. Once eggs are cool, polish them with olive oil by using a paper towel.
   

Thien Vu Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients:
2 cups of graham cracker crumbs (We used 3 cups for a 9inch pan)
1/4 cup of melted butter (Used 1/2 cup (one stick) for a 9inch pan)

Directions:

1. Line bottom of pan w/ parchment
   
2. Mix above ingredients and put in pan

Cheesecake
Ingredients:
3 8oz. cream cheese packages
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used one and 1/2 vanilla bean pod)

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar
2. Add egg one-at-a-time and mix
3. Pour over crumb crust
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes* (*Try baking at lower temperature 250 degrees so cake does not dry out)
5. Take out for 6 minutes

Topping
Ingredients:
1 pint of sour cream (16 oz tub or 1 lb)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I used 1/2 a vanilla bean pod)

Directions:

1. Beat for 2 minutes
2. Start from the outer edge and cover the top of the cheesecake
3. Bake for 6 minutes

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Casserole

We love casseroles at our household. I particularly love them because you just put everything in one baking dish and put it in the oven. This came out of a casserole book I have at home. We ate it tonight for the first time and thought it was delicious! Its great for your kick of Mexican food. It tastes really fresh!

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

- 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

- 1 jar (16 oz) salsa, recommend chunky style

- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced ripe olives

- 6 corn tortillas, cut into halves

- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded Mexican flavored cheese

- sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in salsa and olives; remove from heat.

Place 6 tortilla halves onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Top with half of chicken mixture and 1 cup cheese; repeat layers.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with sour cream. 

Zucchini Stuffing

Got this recipe from my friend, Lisa Mann. She uses a pressure cooker to cook the zucchinis but I don't have one of those so I did the old-fashion boiling technique.

Recipe Details:
Makes 1 - 2 quart casserole
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes


Ingredients:

• 6 large (6 cups) zucchinis (chopped to 1/2 inch rounds)
• 1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup (substitute with cream of mushroom to make vegetarian)
• 1 (8oz) sour cream
• 1 box of Stove Top chicken stuffing (substitute with cornbread stuffing to make vegetarian)
• 1 small yellow onion - diced
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook zucchini in lightly salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and place in a large bowl. Stir in the condensed soup, sour cream, onion.
3. In a small bowl, mix together stuffing and melted butter. Spread half of the stuffing mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish, add a layer of the zucchini mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown.

Sesame Ginger Glazed Chicken & Stir-fried Broccoli

It is of no surprise to anyone that I am not the family cook. There really is nothing too special about this dish, but I just thought maybe I'd share with you what I eat almost on a weekly basis for dinner! There really aren't any clean measurements.... I kind of throw it all together and it tastes different everytime, but I'm sure you get the idea.

Ingredients:

- Chicken breast tenderloins (Or plain chicken breasts)

- Salt

- Pepper

- Dried minced onions

- 1/4 Onion sliced

- Grounded Ginger

- Chicken seasoning

- 1/4 cup Sesame Ginger marinade (Lawry's brand)

- 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

- 2-3 tbsp Soy sauce

- 2-3 tbsp Terriyaki Sauce

- 1-2 tbsp Sriracha

- Broccoli Florets (Broccoli Wokly) Steamed

- EVOO

- Minced garlic

- Teriyaki stir fry sauce

Directions:

Season all sides of chicken with salt, pepper, dried minced onions, grounded ginger, and chicken seasoning. Oil a frying pan, place chicken in pan and cook on medium for about 7-9 mins per side.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix Ginger sesame marinade, Hoisin sauce, Teriyaki sauce, Soy sauce, and Sriracha. Set aside.

After chicken cooks on the outside, add onions to the pan. Once chicken is thoroughly cooked, brush sauce on all sides of chicken and over onions as well. Let simmer in sauce.

In another pot, add 3-4 tbsp of EVOO. Add garlic (to your preference). Add broccoli and stir until broccoli is well coated. Drizzle teriyaki stir fry sauce and splash a little bit of soy sauce. Continue to mix until evenly coated and broccoli is at the firmness/softness of choice.

Enjoy!

Oi Seobaggi (Cucumber Kimchi) Revised

This is a revised take on the Korean cucumber kimchi (Oi Seobaggi).

INGREDIENTS

• 4 persian cucumbers cut into slices at an angle
  
• 1/2 yellow onion sliced into rings and breaking the rings.
  
• 3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar plus 1 1/2 tablespoon
  
• 1 tablespoon sambal olek
  
• 1 tablespoon hoison sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
  
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black toasted sesame seeds (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix cucumbers and salt in a collander and set aside to draw out moisture. At least 15 minutes.
   
2. In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoon vinegar with onion and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
3. Rinse cucumbers and thoroughly dry.
4. Drain onions and squeeze excess vinegar from onions.
5. In another bowl mix together onions, cucumbers, sugar, hoisin, sambal, sesame oil, and remaining vinegar.
   
6. Refrigerate until thoroughly cold.
7. Serve cold garnished with sesame seeds.
   

Celery with Tofu and Dried Shrimp

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cake hard baked bean curd (can substitute with 1 cake pressed soy sauce marinated tofu) cut into strips 2 inches long and about 1/4 in wide
  
• 8 stalks celery cut down the centerlong long way and then cut into 2 inch long pieces
  
• 1/8 cup of dried shrimp coarsely chopped
  
• 1 clove garlic minced
  
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 cup chicken brothe
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat wok with oil until very hot
   
2. Add garlic and shrimp and stir-fry for 20 seconds
   
3. Add soy sauce, salt, chicken broth and celery and stir-fry until celery is slightly translucent
   
4. Add tofu and stir-fry until tofu is heat through
   
5. Add sesame oil and stir-fry for a another few seconds
   
6. Plate and serve hot

Stir-fried Eggs and Tomatoes

Adapted from The Food of China cookbook (with my tweaks):

INGREDIENTS

• 4 eggs
• 2 ripe medium-large red tomatoes
• 2 scallions finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl beat together eggs, sesame oil, and salt
2. In a wok, heat oil until very hot
3. Add scallions to wok and stir-fry for 20 seconds
4. Add egg mixture to wok and stir until almost set
5. Add tomatoes and soy sauce to wok and stir-fry for another minute
6. Plate and serve hot

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Recipe from the Joy of Cooking cookbook.

After a failed attempt at oatmeal raisin cookies last week (when they tell you to soften butter...absolutely DO NOT microwave it!) My over-softened butter resulted in flattened cookies...yuck.

I decided we've had this book for a long time now, I might as well try cooking something from it...so I'm starting with cookies.

The cookies came out good, not too sweet and chewy.

The ingredients

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
About forty-eight 3-inch cookies (I only got about 3 dozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets.

Whisk together:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

Beat in a large bowl until well blended:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in:

• 1 cup raisins, chopped (Chopping the raisins is a good trick!)
• 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  
• (3/4 cup chopped walnuts)

Shape the dough into generous 1 1/2-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Flatten the balls into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are lightly browned all over, 12 to 14 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.

1-inch rounds flattened

In the oven:

The finished (and delicious) product:

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

You can't go wrong with bacon!

Bao sent us an assignment each. Anh 2 Mike was flourless chocolate cake (previous post)...mine was meatloaf. Both were delicious!

If you like bacon cheeseburger and meatloaf, you can't go wrong with this. I'm thinking about modifying this to make it takes like Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger by using BBQ sauce instead of the ketchup/mustard combo. Might be delicious...

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen. Modifications include a dash of onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. I like big flavor. I also added 1/4 of a cup of the fried onions mixed into the meatloaf mixture before baking. We love onions!

I also formed 2 handformed loaves instead of using a pan. I learned this trick from Alton Brown...doing it this way gives room for fat to render out of the meatloaf...Fat = NOT good eats.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs, toasted
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture.
4. Press meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink (I used an oven thermometer until it reached 160 degrees F).

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Taken from Tyler Florence's recipe on FoodTV.com. Modified by adding cream of tartar to the egg whites.

Bao and Chi Hai seem to love it.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1 stick unsalted butter*
• 9 large eggs, separated
• dash of cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

Put the chocolate and butter into the top of a double boiler (or in a heatproof bowl) and heat over (but not touching) about 1 inch of simmering water until melted. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until light yellow in color. Whisk a little of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep the eggs from scrambling from the heat of the chocolate - then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.

Beat the egg whites (and dash of cream of tartar) in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is set, the top starts to crack and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 45 minutes (depending on your oven). Let stand 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan.

While the cake is cooking, whip the cream until it becomes light and fluffy.

Serve at room temperature dusted with confectioners' sugar and topped with whipped cream (we forgo'ed the whipped cream).

Flourless chocolate cake

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

I think it's safe to say that we are obsessed with red velvet desserts, having back to back posts about them. Here is what happens when Paula Deen meets Oreo Cakesters:

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Serves: 12-15 sandwiches

Ingredients:

-1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

-2 tablespoons cocoa powder

-1 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon baking soda

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1/4 cup butter, room temp

-1 cup sugar

-2 eggs

-2 tablespoons buttermilk

-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 tablespoon red food coloring

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

-1 lb cream cheese, softened

-2 sticks butter, softened

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-4 cups powdered sugar

-3/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

-Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl

-Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 mins. Add eggs 1 at a time.

Then beat in buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring. Once combined, add the dry ingredients to wet. Mix until thoroughly combined.

-Onto parchment lined sheet tray, drop batter using an ice cream scoop, forming 2-inch round circles.

-Bake for 10 mins, until baked through. Cookies should be cake-like and light. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

-In a large mixing bowl, beat the

cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar on a low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

-Spread cream cheese frosting between 2 cooled cookies and roll the edges in finely chopped pecans, if desired.