Amazing Appetite Galore

Costa Rica Trip - August 2012

2012-09-02T15:43:00.002-04:00

It's been awhile since I have updated. Just have been so busy with life lately. A lot has been happening from moving, to studying for GMAT, to applying for grad schools but I am happy to add that I was able to add a trip in between all this!

I just came back from Costa Rica (and I know I've been using this blog to write about food but my initial intention was to use it as travel AND food blogging so here goes my first traveling post!) To be honest, I'm guilty of wanting a break from looking at grad school applications so that is why I am here, in my little world of blogging! It's almost like a stress reliever to write on this thing! :)

So, as you all may know, Costa Rica ("Rich Coast" in Spanish) is a country in Central America, between Nicaragua and Panama, and should I add that I had an amazing time there with my friends! We stayed at a resort called Riu Guanacaste but honestly we spent more time outside the resort than inside. When we booked the trip, we had a couple of things in mind that we wanted to do. I knew there was one thing that I must do in Costa Rica and that was zip-lining! After booking this trip, all of a sudden, I had an immense craving to do this.

One of the excursions we did was the canopy aka zip-lining and hanging bridges in the middle of the Cloud Forest. The view and the adrenaline created an experience that will never be forgotten. We also walked the cloud forest and we saw some things that we never saw before. We saw a tiny mushroom the size of the "*" on your keyboard pad (I am not exaggerating). In addition to the hanging bridges, we also visited a butterfly garden and a separate hummingbird garden.

@ the Butterfly Garden

Hummingbirds and as my friend described it, she felt like she was in a "video game" as these little birds fly so fast you can hear the whoosing sound as they fly by you. It is said that they can flap their wrings about 12-80 times per second, depending on the type of hummingbird.

Long pointy beaks as seen in bird on top

One of the eight hanging bridges we walked through in the cloud forest

Baby Mushroom. Can you see? This is a zoomed up picture.

Side view

Another excursion we did included the Baldi hotsprings, which is located in the middle of the rainforest. Costa Rica has a lot of hot springs (a result of volcanoes heating up the water). These hotsprings are each very unique in size, shape, and most interesting, their temperature. We also came across hotsprings with added water slides and others with a wet bar. This is definitely a place to unwind and absorb what nature has to offer you. We were surrounded by trees and I actually felt like I was somewhere in Southeast Asia. It amazes me how hot the water can get (up to about 100 degrees F) and all coming from a natural source.

We also went white water rafting (Class 3 and 4) in the Teniorio River. While rafting, there was actually a baby frog that jumped on top of my knee and I am almost embarrassed to write this but I screamed. Wish I had a picture - as I am writing this, thinking back, he was rather cute. :)

We did not flip!!

Frog in raft!!

@ the resort

Wish we had an extra day just to relax at the resort!

View from room

Pink Bananas, only edible to animals, not humans

Costa Rica is one of the world's top eco-tourism destinations and I absolutely loved it - great resort, great company, great activities, and great weather (even though it rained everyday we were there, I can now understand how the rainy season is like. After all, we did visit a country known for it's rainforests!). Oh, I must add, I have, never in my life, had such juicy, sweet, pineapples! Their tropical weather near the equator produces such fruits that are new to my taste buds!!!

Can you spot the little green lizard camouflaged into the grass? This was at our resort.

Hiking through the forest - the white light is actually the Catarata Waterfall (La Fortuna Waterfall). According to wiki, "It is fed by the Tenorio River, which travels through the rain forest in the Arenal Mountain range until it plunges over the cliff, forming this waterfall"

Catarata Waterfall

Random insect spotted while walking - looks like twigs

View of the Arenal Volcano from the Altamira restaurant we were having lunch at

Arenal Volcano

My new friend

Pure Life!!!!!

Coconut Macaroons

2012-05-14T22:58:00.002-04:00

After going to Borgata a few weekends ago, we went to eat at the Borgata Buffet. Now if you happen to go, can I recommend one thing you must try before leaving that place? It is their Coconut Macaroons! Now coconut macaroons are always so good but the ones here are just truly amazing (trust me)! Borgata's official website describes their buffet as a place where "dazzling assortment of delicacies awaits, from hearty entrees to tempting desserts that'll send your sweet tooth swooning." I totally agree with the tempting desserts part (mainly the coconut macaroons)!

Apparently, I am not the only one that fantasizes about their macaroons as I came across a review on Yelp and I am quoting, "... the dessert bar was probably the best part...the Macaroon's were the sh*t! Probably my favorite thing in the whole buffet. So if you can stomach (no pun intended) spending $$$ just to get some good ass macaroons then this place is for you!" (again, I am quoting!) :)

So of course I decided to make some myself. I did a quick search for an easy recipe and found one on Foodnetwork.com (see recipe below) but I tweaked it to make mine smaller. What interested me about this recipe was the usage of condensed milk instead of sugar and it actually turned out pretty good! I do have to admit though, they were not as good as the ones from the buffet but they will do for now until I find that secret recipe of theirs! ;)

Awesome, soft, chewy deliciousness! :)

Simple ingredients

Pour the bag of shredded coconut flakes in big bowl.

Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract.

Mix!

Mix two egg whites on high speed mixer so it is white and frothy and can form peaks (can see when you lift mixing beater)

Add the egg whites to the rest of the coconut mixture (don't wait too long as the egg whites will liquify). Fold egg white into coconut mixture.

More parchment paper for second baking pan.

Evenly space them out. They do spread a bit on the bottom due to the condensed milk so do leave some spacing between them. The runny part is actually my favorite!

Makes about 40 macaroons (need two baking pans)

Pop them into the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. They smell so good my sister can smell it in another room while they were baking in the oven!

Nice and toasty and very chewy! :)

Recipe
Servings - 40 macaroons

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they become white and frothy and can make peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto baking pans lined with parchment paper (about 1 tsp size each). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Side Note: To spice it up a notch, you can drizzle chocolate over it or even dip half or the whole macaroon in chocolate (kind of like an Almond Joy)! Yum Yum!!

Scrambled Eggs and Tomatoes Stir Fry

2012-05-13T17:06:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!!! Now, before my parents are back from church, let me squeeze in some blogging time as this has been in draft status for awhile. We are planning on taking mother out to an "all you can eat" Japanese restaurant called "River Japanese Cuisine". Now, I need to work up an appetite for a buffet! :)

Now I love simplicity and I love good food, especially if it is easy to make. Eggs and tomatoes is a dish that my mother and grandmother had always made when I was growing up. The scrambled eggs with tomatoes tastes very fresh as there is an abundance of original flavor. This dish is like the American version of spaghetti and pasta sauce (hm...maybe bad analogy, but you know what I am trying to say - basically that it always tastes good but yet so easy to make!) :) Tasty, filling, and definitely a dish that will not take a lot of your time to prepare. Best if eaten over white rice. Enjoy! :)

Beautiful fresh colors

Scallions - separate end (green part) and head (white part) of scallion

Slice up 3 tomatoes

Use about 6-8 eggs. Scramble and mix eggs.

Add oil, white part of scallions and tomatoes first.

Pour scrambled eggs over and let set for about 3 minutes.

Add the scallions (end, green part). See the egg slowly starting to set.

Using chopsticks, start stirring and mixing.

Recipe

Servings: 4-6

A bundle of scallions

3 tomatoes, sliced

6-8 eggs

1 TBSP fish sauce

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 tsp salt, pepper, sugar

Chop up scallions and separate the head (white part) of the scallions apart from the end (green part). Slice up the tomatoes. For the 6-8 eggs, scramble the eggs in a bowl.

Heat up oil in skillet and add the head (white part) of the scallions. Add the tomatoes and add fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook the tomatoes for about 3 minutes (close lid). If there is a lot of liquid after the 3 minutes, scoop it up first (save for later) and then pour the scrambled eggs over the tomatoes. Do not stir for about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the scallion ends (green part) and start stirring. Add the liquid back in and continue stirring.

Sloppy Joes Burger

2012-05-06T22:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday! The weather has been great lately. My girlfriend and I decided to take a walk at the tracks and we walked about 10 laps (almost 3 miles), which felt great! Maxi also decided to join us in this beautiful weather. After the walk, of course, my body started craving some food and I decided to make something easy. What came to mind was sloppy joes burgers!!! :) What can possibly be easier to make than this?

On a side note, in the Chinese culture, we also have our own version of sloppy joes called the "Rou Jia Mo." It basically means "meat burger." It is a street food that originated from the north of China, specifically from Xi'an in Shaanxi Province and is now popular in all of China. Pork or lamb is usually the meat chosen.

Enjoy my sloppy joes! (They always remind me of elementary school as they used to serve this in the school cafeteria - great memories!) :)

The end result of my simple to make sloppy joes

Maxi enjoying his walk on the tracks as well.

All the ingredients you need. I also added a bit of Sriracha sauce to give it a kick of spiciness (forgot to add it in picture).

A total of about 2 lbs of ground beef

Some garlic and pepper

Any BBQ sauce will do, some pasta sauce, and Worcestershire sauce (if you don't have this, that is fine)

Chopped up garlic and pepper

Sautee the garlic and peppers first

Add in the ground beef

Cook till brown, constantly mixing

Add in the BBQ sauce, pasta sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce

Keep simmering and you will see it thicken

My bites (had to stop myself from finishing it so I can make sure to take a picture! ;)

Recipe
Serving: 8

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
2 pounds ground beef
8 oz of pasta sauce
8 oz of BBQ sauce
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce, optional
hot sauce, optional
8 hamburger buns

Add some oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add the bell peppers and garlic. Saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the ground beef to the garlic and pepper. Stir and cook about 8 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and is browned. Then add the pasta sauce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce into the skillet. Continue to stir and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Once done, serve on hamburger bun. Enjoy!

Happy Easter! Maison Laduree - Macarons

2012-04-08T23:52:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter! Today is the day the Lord has risen! I am definitely one that is guilty of not going to church on a regular basis however today is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am really happy my friend asked me to check out this church - "Redeemer Presbyterian Church". There are a couple of locations to this church but the location that we went to today was the one in Upper East Side. The auditorium was completely filled up. Before actually getting in, we had to wait on a longgggg line; and I meant "LONG" as the line literally circled around the building. As my friend said, it is like a line to get into a club but only this time it is "God's club" :) (thought that was cute). It is definitely great to see so many people come together on this special day!

So before all this, since we got to the church earlier than the service start time, my friends and I decided to walk around for coffee and as we were walking down Madison Ave, I saw "Laduree". This cute little chic boutique attracted me the instant I saw it. May I add that their colors are PERFECT for Easter! The whole store is full of spring and pastel colors (my favorite shades of color). The walls are pastel green.

Laduree, a place known for its delicious macarons, has finally brought its awesomeness overseas to the Big Apple! It is based in Paris, France but just had it's first New York City location opened August 26, 2011. My coworker actually told me she waited an hour plus during their grand opening!

By the way, below are some pictures. I wanted to take pictures inside the store but I was told I cannot take pictures indoors. I must say that out of the six flavors that I tried, I liked the "Orange Blossom" flavor the most. There is just a heavenly taste to it; as the ratio between the filling and the crust are just perfect. It is not too strong, leaving you with a light and summery taste.

The only complaint I have for this place is I feel that two out of the six macarons I tried were not properly named. For example, my favorite "Orange Blossom" didn't really have the orange flavor. I was expecting a burst of orange, citrus zest flavor in my mouth but that didn't happen. Nonetheless it was still my favorite, just can't seem to figure out the taste as it is not a distinct flavor. The other one was the "Vanilla", as I tasted a "Rose" aftertaste. I thought it was just me but my sister said she doesn't taste vanilla either but tasted a rosy, perfumy, flavor. That one was a bit odd as it was like having perfume, soap flavor in your mouth... Both of these were not named right in my opinion! Other than that, yummm yummm. *drool*

Now, I must try to make my own...

Enjoy!!!! Till next time!

6 flavors - orange blossom (my favorite), cassis violette, pistachio, salted caramel, raspberry, vanilla

Goodness inside the box

So delicate

Rum Cream Walnut Bundt Cake

2012-03-25T22:54:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone and welcome to my page again. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed your weekend! I had a quiet weekend. I spent my Saturday at Barnes and Noble with some friends as I have decided to take the GMAT. (Yes, I know, sounds so fun on a Saturday! But actually, it was. Surprisingly it feels great to be studying again). I have been thinking about this for awhile now and it is time to put some action into it. Now, since I have been good studying for my GMAT, I decided to treat myself a bit. ;) So what do I decide to do today? Ah, yes, that bottle of "Jamaica Rum Cream" that my co-worker bought back after her vacation...it has been sitting on my table for awhile now... I been meaning to make something out of this and today is the perfect day. :)

Enjoy this recipe as it is so easy to make - it's basically a regular cake mix + some rum + some walnuts (or pecans)

Goodness! MmmmmMmmm.

Bundt Pan

Some of the supplies/ingredients - classic yellow cake mix, rum cream (any kind would work), 3 eggs, 1 cup of walnuts, brown sugar, cooking spray

Delicious, creaminess

Washing bundt pan! Such a beautiful shape.

Mixing all the ingredients together.

Chopped walnuts. Depending on your preference, if you like it finely chopped or more coarsely chopped.

Spray the bundt cake pan with oil (be generous so you can make sure the cake comes out later when you flip it over - I personally had a bad experience with the cake sticking to the side of the bundt pan once, it was very difficult to get it out and not only that you will ruin the beauty of the cake!), pour the chopped walnuts on the bottom of the pan (this will later be the top of the cake). Pour the cake mixture over it and even it out so it bakes evenly.

These are the ingredients for the glaze. Very easy to make. (Of course, I used that huge tub of sugar! (JK! Oh, imagine...sugar attack))

While the cake is in the oven, make the glaze: butter + water + sugar + rum = bring to a boil on low-med heat, stirring constantly. Pour the rum in last and when you do, turn off the fire first or stand further away in case there's crazy flame from the alcohol that would burn your beautiful eyelashes! :)

In the oven

I want already!! So tempted not to dig a hole in it (I mean, no one will notice right, since it will be flipped around later anyways - top being on bottom)

Flip the cake onto a round plate - look at that beauty. It should come out easily as you should have sprayed cooking oil all around.

Close up of the walnuts

Use a fork and start poking away all over the cake especially where the creases indents in from the pan. This way, as you pour the glaze slowly over it, the cake will soak up the glaze.

Of course, the first slice is mine!!! ALL MINE!!! This cake has so much moisture it's truly an "AMAZING APPETITE GALORE" :)

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE
1 box yellow cake mix (if your cake mix doesn't already come with pudding mix, add in 1 package of Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix)
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup rum cream
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 TBSP brown sugar

FOR THE GLAZE
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup of water
2 TBSP of sugar
3/4 cups of rum

Preheat oven to 325 F. Make sure to spray the bundt cake pan with oil. Mix the finely chopped walnuts with some brown sugar and pour it over the bottom of the pan.

Mix all the cake ingredients together. Then pour the cake mix batter over the walnuts. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not over bake as the cake will be dry and turn dark.

While the cake still has about 10 minutes left in the oven, start making the glaze. First slightly melt the butter in a pot and add in water and sugar. Let it simmer and add in the rum. Stir constantly and when you pour in the rum, turn off the fire in case it flames up from the alcohol.

When the cake is out of the oven, first pour about 1/3 of the glaze over the top of the cake (which will later become the bottom when flipped over). Allow to sit for a few minutes and then invert the cake onto a round serving plate. Poke holes in the cake with a fork and then drizzle the remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake. I like to poke holes especially in the creased, indented areas as the glaze likes to run down those areas.

I know it is very tempting to eat right away but I would suggest waiting for the glaze to soak into the cake and for the cake to cool off. It will be worth the wait. Trust me!

Enjoy! Till next time...

Brownie Cheesecake Topped with Cherry Filling

2012-03-11T21:05:00.003-04:00

Hope you are all having a great weekend. I was watching the Knicks vs Philly game earlier today and what a disappointment again!! What is going on Knicks?! Ever since they played the Boston Celtics last Sunday, they haven't turn back around this losing streak. :( (There really is a Boston curse!) This will be 5 losses in a row - really hoping for a miracle to happen tomorrow against the Chicago Bulls. Despite all this, I will not lose faith in the Knicks, especially Jeremy Lin. GOOO KNICKS!

So what do I decide to do after watching the Knicks lose? Bake! I decided to make cheesecake again as it is a great hit in my family and I have cream cheese left that I should really use up.

Today, I am making a Brownie Cheesecake topped with Cherry Filling. Look how amazing the color looks and trust me, it tastes even more amazing!

Look at all that gooeyness from the cherry filling oooozing over my perfect slice of cheesecake

Some of the ingredients

After taking out of the oven, you can see the layers through the glass

Finishing off with Cherry Topping

I get the first slice!

RECIPE:

1 package (19-21 oz) brownie mix (use 13x9 inch size pan) - extra ingredients as directed on package

4 packages of cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

3 eggs (this is in addition to the eggs needed in the brownie mix)

1 can of cherry filling

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and spray the baking pan with cooking spray. Pour in the brownie mixture. (Follow the directions from the package). Bake for 25 minutes.

Prepare the cheesecake. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract on medium speed. Then add the sour cream and mix. After that add each egg, one by one slowly and mix on low speed. Pour mixture over the brownie.

Bake for 40 minutes. Let it cool and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Right before serving, top with cherry filling.

Note: The longer you refrigerate it, the better it will taste. Trust me as I had been impatient and it just doesn't taste the same as when you let it set. ;)

Stir-Fry Chinese Style Shrimp

2012-02-05T15:57:00.003-05:00

Today is not just any ordinary Sunday - it is Superbowl Sunday! Not only that, it is also the weekend before I go to California (LA and Orange County). I will be visiting some friends and super excited to get away for a little bit!

Before I go, I decided to blog a little bit. I made a dish not too long ago but didn't get the chance to update. Here it is. I do not even know how to name this dish so I am calling it "Stir-Fry Chinese Style Shrimp!" If you can think of a better name, please do let me know! ;) This is a very common way to cook shrimp in the Chinese culture. By the way, I would recommend leaving the shells on the shrimp and cooking with it. It tastes better than when you take the shells off.

sliced ginger, scallions and onions

RECIPE
Serving: 4-5

1 lb shrimp (cut the tail and legs off)
some sliced ginger, thin, long slices
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP water
3 scallion heads, sliced slanted
1/2 tsp sugar

Cut the tail and legs off the shrimp. Leave the shells. Deveine the shrimp through the shells.

Heat 1 TBSP oil on high heat. Add the ginger and onion and stir fry for one minute. Add the shrimp and add salt and pepper on top of the shrimp. After 1-2 minutes, flip the shrimp one by one and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes as well. Add soy sauce, water, scallion heads, and sugar. Stir for 2 more minutes. It is now ready to be served.

Most easy way to make shrimp! :)

Spaghetti with Hot Dogs

2012-01-29T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'm craving spaghetti and usually I have it with some sort of ground beef or ground pork but the ground meat is in the freezer and I do not have time to take it out to defrost. I looked in my fridge and what do I find? Hot Dogs! :) So I see a package of 6 hot dogs left and decided to use them all and make my own "Spaghetti with Hot Dogs". Many times, cooking is about substituting one thing for another. I am sure you have heard of the phrase "cooking is an art; baking is a science". It does stand true! I mean, you would have to run to the supermarket to get the baking soda you need to make that cake of yours.

So I also came across a very creative way to make Spaghetti with hot dogs, but for some odd reason, it is a little weird for me. I mean it is definitely cool but there was just something a little bit unsettling about what I came across but hey, I think this is a great idea during Halloween or for an event that involves little kids!! Still wanted to share though cause it is pretty different. :) So you basically thread uncooked spaghetti into tiny hot dogs and then cook them.


This picture is from Very Culinary Site

Parmesan Cheese

Of course, any pasta sauce will do.

Hot dogs, half onion, and some garlic

You can see the steam coming out from noodles. I took the picture right after serving on plate. :) Easy and Delicious!

RECIPE

Serving about 6-8

1 box thin spaghetti (1 lb)

1/2 to 1 onion, diced

5-8 garlic, diced

6 hot dogs, diced or sliced

1 bottle pasta sauce (24 oz = 1 lb 8 oz)

2 TBSP red wine

2 TBSP heavy cream (optional)

1 tsp chicken flavor powder (optional)

dash of salt and pepper

2 TBSP Parmesan cheese

Boil a pot of water and cook pasta. Add some salt and oil to the water and stir. In a separate large skillet, heat oil on high heat and saute onion and garlic. Then add the hot dogs and stir and saute for about 3-5 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and saute for 5 minutes. The heat will release all the flavors from the pasta sauce. (I recommend always heating the sauce before putting in the cooked pasta.) Then add red wine and heavy cream (optional) to the sauce as well and let it simmer. Pour in the cooked pasta. If you have chicken flavored powder, add that along with dash of salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 TBSP of Parmesan cheese and serve!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2012-01-28T23:12:00.003-05:00

Hello all. Hope you're all having a good day! So I decided to do some baking today as I am craving some cheesecake! (From time to time I would crave this amazing dessert). There are so many different varieties of cheesecakes. The texture of cheesecake ranges tremendously from extremely rich and creamy to light and fluffy to tastes such as sweet to tangy. The type of cheese you use distinguishes one cheesecake from another tremendously. Since the main essential ingredient in any cheesecake is the cheese, it is good to know that the cheesecake we are used to in US are mainly made from cream cheese but depending on which country you are, they can also be made from Neufchatel, cottage cheese, ricotta, etc. For example in Italy, they use ricotta cheese.

"In 1872, cream cheese was invented by American dairymen, William Lawrence of Chester, N.Y., who accidentally developed a method of producing cream cheese while trying to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchatel. William Lawrence started distributing his cream cheese in foil wrappers from 1880 onwards. He called his cheese PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese, now a famous trademark."

In a future post, I will try to make an Asian-style cheesecake. They are usually lighter and has flavors such as matcha, which is a powdered Japanese green tea, lychee, mango, etc. Their textures are also spongier and fluffier and of course less sweet and heavy. Enjoy this post and I'll try to save you a slice. ;)

Right out of the oven. So tempted to eat it but I had to let it cool first and then it still had to go into the fridge for another 3 hours before eating! :( That's the painful part about this...waiting...waiting...

Ingredients

If you enjoy baking, I would suggest investing in a Kitchen Aid.

Pour into the crust

Top with more baking chips

In the oven - finished! Very puffy now but will go down when it cools :)

Yummmm~

RECIPE

Serving about 8

2 packages of Cream Cheese (8 oz packages each)

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk chocolate baking chips, divided (I used milk chocolate baking chips but you can let your imagination go wild and use ANY baking chips you like!

1 pie crust (6 oz) - I couldn't find 6 oz so I used the 9 oz

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until blended. Add eggs and blend eggs in. Pour in 1/2 of the baking chips. Pour mixture into the pie crust and sprinkle remaining on top. If you like it to look neat, you can line the chips up so all of them have the pointy top upwards.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Make sure you cool and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Very simple to make! All you do is mix, pour, bake, eat! ;)

Jumpo Fried Mayo Shrimp with Walnuts and Broccoli

2012-01-28T21:22:00.002-05:00

I have to say that this is one of my favorite Chinese dish. First off I love shrimp and plus it is deep fried with condensed milk and mayonnaise - yum yum (all this goodness, how can one resist!) Growing up, my grandmother used to cook shrimp with ketchup and I remembered loving the sauce and I would pour the sauce all over my rice, peel all the shrimp and mix it all together with the rice. I would have my own bowl of orangy rice with bits of shrimp. It was so simple but yet so good.

Love the presentation of the shrimp. If you want, you can drizzle some of the mixed mayo sauce over the top.

Jumbo shrimps

I mix this with flour but if you do not have this, you can just use flour

Remember to double coat the shrimp.

For yummy sweet, tangy sauce

Golden goodness

Candied walnuts

RECIPE

2 lb shrimp - about 30+ shrimp

1 tsp soy sauce

1 TBSP white wine or cooking wine

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 egg white

1.5 cup tempura powder + 1/2 cup of flour (if you don't have tempura powder, you can use all flour)

1 whole broccoli, cut

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup walnuts

1 TBSP sugar

1/2 cup mayo

squeeze half lemon juice

3 TBSP condensed milk (alter depending on preference. I see a lot of recipes with condensed milk ratio same as mayo but I personally find that too sweet)

Peel and devein the shrimp. Mix shrimp with soy sauce, white wine, pepper, salt, egg whites. Dip each shrimp into the powder and flour.

Heat up half pan of oil. Right before frying the shrimp, if you have more time dip again in more powder and flour. This double coating of flour/powder will allow the shrimp to be crispier and more fuller. It also looks and tastes better! Fry each shrimp for about 2 minutes (does not need to be too long since shrimps cook fast). Then with the same oil, fry walnuts (3-5 minutes). Add sugar on top of the walnuts when it comes right out of the hot oil and toss around.

In a saute pan, heat some oil. Add broccoli, some pepper and salt and stir fry for about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and cover, allowing the broccoli to steam for about 3-5 minutes until done. Remove from pan and the fun part is lining the broccoli around the edge of a large plate with the broccoli pieces.

The sauce is so easy to make. Just mix the mayo, condensed milk and half lemon juice together and there you go!

This is a great dish to make for family events because of the presentation as you have the broccoli on the ring of the plate and the shrimps with sweet walnuts tossed in the middle. You can either drizzle the mayonnaise on top of the mayo or use as a dipping sauce or even mix it all in together with the shrimp.

Cooking is all about experimenting and letting your imagination go wild. There is really no wrong! I mean, you may end up with something that is not as good tasting BUT at least next time you know what NOT to do. I hope you enjoy this recipe and one of my favorite foods! :)

On a side note, if you like coconut, you can even add a little bit of coconut milk into your dipping sauce to give it that extra boost! ;)

Don't forget to subscribe to my page!! ;)

Chinese New Year Eve - Yi Mein (E-Fu Noodles)

2012-01-23T01:31:00.005-05:00

This is a family filled weekend with so much food and festivities and of course red envelopes! I love Chinese New Year! :)

Being that my mom will be making most of the dishes (as usual), I decided to help her out with some of the cooking as well. This also creates some extra mother and daughter bonding! My mom really is such an inspiration to my cooking (and I know I keep saying this) - I really do not know how she does it sometimes. I do love cooking/ baking but I do not know if I can make 8-10 dishes in one day! She would make about 8-10 dishes during the holidays all by herself (and this is cooking for 10-15 people, hence the portion sizes are bigger, which means more cutting, slicing, etc, which basically means more prepping!)

Today, I decided to help her out with making Yi Mein (E-Fu Noodles). If you have ever been to a Chinese banquet dinner, you will know this as being one of the last savory dishes to to be served. (Now of course this recipe is a variation than the banquet kind. The banquet style E-Fu noodle does not use white button mushrooms (only shiitake), carrots, and beef). The E-Fu noodle symbolizes longevity and is cooked sometimes during someone's birthday.

Yi Mein is a type of Cantonese egg noodle with a very chewy texture. It is very airy and has a sponge-like, elastic texture because of the carbonated water used when making the dough. The noodles then get fried and gets dried in a round, ramen-like brick shape. You will notice these in Chinese supermarkets as they are packaged in clear plastic bags, usually in round shapes.

I used 4 of these round E-Fu noodles.

Put all 4 round noodles into boiling water. You only need to boil it for about 5-8 minutes. Try a strand. If it is still hard in the middle, cook a little longer.

Add some oil and mix well.

Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Marinate sliced beef (I took a picture before mixing as you can still see sugar, salt on it!)

Close up of small shreds of carrots (don't these look like sweet potato fries since they are zoomed in? Hm...now I feel like making sweet potato fries...) :)

Shitake mushrooms, white button mushrooms, carrots

All this goodness in one place! Yum. I'm getting hungry as I am writing this post. (This is the only bad thing I can think of about blogs because while I am typing and looking at pictures of food, I feel hungry all over again). Other than that, I love blogging!

RECIPE
Can serve at least 6 people

4 round E-Fu noodles
1/2 lb beef (optional), sliced thin
1/4 of a carrot (thinly sliced for coloring)
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
1 box 8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced thin
scallion (head), sliced thin, slanted
10 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 TBSP dark soy sauce
1.5 TBSP light soy sauce
3 TBSP oyster sauce

MARINATE BEEF:
1 tsp soy sauce
3 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp cooking wine
1 tsp corn starch
dash of salt, pepper and sugar

Boil half full water in a wok. Once it is boiling, put the E-Fu noodles in for about 5 - 8 minutes. Try one to make sure it is not hard in the middle but do not overcook as you will be stir-frying it later. Pour it into a strainer and add about 3 TBSP oil and mix thoroughly. Put this on the side for now.

Marinate the beef and let sit for at least 20 minutes. In a frying pan, heat up oil. Add 1/3 of the minced garlic. After 2 minutes, add the beef and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook as the beef will be hard and too chewy. Once it looks cooked, take this out and put to the side.

In the wok, add 2 TBSP oil in high heat, add the remaining 2/3 of garlic. After 2 minutes, add the sliced carrots and shiitake mushrooms. After 2 minutes, add the button mushrooms. Cook about 2 minutes and add the E-Fu noodles. Stir and add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce. Add in the scallions and the beef. Stir and serve!

President Obama also wishes you a Happy New Year! :)

Chinese New Year Baked Coconut "Nian Gao" Cake

2012-01-21T20:23:00.001-05:00

I was browsing around a random food blog and came across http://en.christinesrecipes.com (Christine's recipes). I love her food blog instantly as she makes a lot of Asian food and they look so appetizing as well. The only complaint I have about her page is the usage of grams/ml versus TBSP/cups. I would have to convert them myself and they are time consuming!

Since it is Chinese New Year weekend, I decided to make a type of "Nian Gao" which is "Rice Cake". "Nian Gao" is a very popular dish to make during the Chinese New Year as it sounds like "Year High", hence translating to mean bettering yourself and prosperity year after year. You know what I mean, basically all those good stuff! :)

There are different varieties of "Nian Gao" but the one thing that they all have in common is the main ingredient - glutinous rice flour. Here you go, enjoy!

You can get glutinous rice flour in any Asian supermarket.

Of course, they can be any brand :)

You do not have to use these seedless dried dates if you do not have but since I had them at home (thanks to my mom), I might as well use them. :)

Line them up like this or you can roughly chop them up and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

You will notice the sides of the cake rising and edging inwards - this is normal :)

If you do not want the top part to be too crispy, you can add an aluminum foil on it while baking. I actually like the huge contrast between the top chewy layer to the middle soft texture.

Yum Yum!

RECIPE

Bakes one whole baking pan (22.5cm x 33cm)

1 bag of glutinous rice flour (16 oz/ 1 lb)
1 can of coconut milk (14 fl oz)
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
dried dates (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a big bowl, beat the eggs and add in sugar. Add the coconut milk and glutinous rice flour. Stir and combine well. Spray the baking pan with some oil (I used the rectangular shaped one) and pour the mixture into the pan. Add the dates on the top of the cake (or if you want, you can even roughly chop it up and mix it into the whole mixture (up to you).

Remember, try to use a rectangular baking pan. I used a 22.5cm x 33cm. If you use a smaller pan, the mixture would be too thick, hence not baking well. If you do not have a rectangular baking pan, you can use two smaller ones. Bake for 50 minutes. To make sure it is well, stick a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean, it is done.

Happy Chinese New Year!!! :)

Karin's version of Bulgogi - Korean Marinated Barbequed Beef

2012-01-21T15:24:00.001-05:00

The weekend of Chinese New Year! Happy early Chinese New Year! :) So I am excited because I have Monday off. I decided to take that day off so I can have a 3-day weekend. Feels great as it is snowing outside right now and I wake up having the urge to cook, bake or clean but decided to make something to eat so I can have energy to clean later ;)

What did I decide to make? I decided to make my own version of Korean Marinated Beef. It is also called Bulgogi in the Korean language. This dish tastes amazing; my sisters told me to make more. The marinade is made with everything we use on a daily basis (soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, hot sauce). With these simple combinations, it will create a flavor you will not forget! And it is excellent with rice!

Bulgogi was actually listed at number 23 on World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll complied by CNN Go in 2011. It literally means "fire meat". Bulgogi is traditionally grilled but nowadays, a lot of people also pan-cook (which is exactly what I did).

^{http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/eat/readers-choice-worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-012321?page=0,1}

Perfect meal for your family.

2 TBSP of sesame seeds (this is before heating up in frying pan)

Heat sesame seeds in frying pan for about 3 minutes

1 box of 8 oz button mushrooms. Wash well and slice into pieces. When cooking the mushrooms, it will release water in heat and salt. The water from the mushrooms will be mixed with the marinade and will be great to pour over your rice. You'll love it!

Marinate beef, onions, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper paste (or siracha or any hot sauce) for about 2 hours.

Inside of bag.

Frying in pan

With the toasted sesame seeds, serve!


Over rice! Yum!

RECIPE
Serving: about 4

1 lb beef (slice as thin as possible)
1 onion, sliced
1/2 a carrot, sliced
some scallions
1 8oz box of white button mushrooms, sliced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP sesame seeds, toasted
3 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp red pepper paste (or siracha or any hot sauce)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

In a large Ziploc bag, mix the sliced beef, onion, carrot, garlic cloves, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Seal the bag and shake well, making sure that the marinade is mixed thoroughly on the beef. Use your hand to make sure each piece of meat is coated. (Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!) Refrigerate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Slice the white button mushrooms. Toast the sesame seeds for about 3 minutes on a frying pan, shaking the pan constantly. Turn the fire off when you see some browning and the seeds become fragrant.

Heat oil in high heat and pour everything from the Ziploc bag into the cooking pan. Make sure heat is on high. After about 3 minutes, add in the sliced button mushrooms. Cook for about 4 more minutes. The mushrooms will release water. Cook till the beef is ready. Do not over cook beef as it will get hard. Add the sesame seeds and scallions towards the end. Mix thoroughly and serve! :)

Anyways, this is so random but while typing this, my sister is watching Dr. Oz show and we just found out that, watermelon rinds are actually good for your heart!

"Juicy watermelon rinds offer a high dose of cirulline amino acid – which helps dilate blood vessels, improving blood circulation. The easiest way to take advantage of watermelon rind health benefits is to blend a whole piece of watermelon with lime. If you’re in the mood for something with a little kick, add some gin or vodka to make it a heart-healthy cocktail." I will not be throwing them out anymore!

Kim Chi Fried Rice

2012-01-16T21:53:00.003-05:00

In college, I lived with some girlfriends of mine. When living in our apartment style housing, we had our own kitchen but in college, I actually didn't cook that much. I made very simple dishes (such as instant noodles :\) and plus, we had a campus dining card and that was what we would usually use. (I know, how lazy of us :p). However, one of my gfs would make us Korean food from time to time and we would always treasure these moments because they were kind of rare since none of us really cooked! :p

I learned this simple to make Kim Chi Fried Rice from my friend. I remember loving it and wanting more and asked her how she made it. It is indeed really easy! Not only is it easy, it tastes really good too! There is something about Korean food that I love. I also am very close to Korea Town in NYC and have tried a lot of the restaurants there as it is close to my commute to and from work.

YUMMMMY!

You can buy this or any other brand at a Korean Supermarket. Since I have to take the LIRR and am not far from Korea Town, I will drop by the supermarket there and pick up something like this.

They have other ones where they are just radishes or Kim Chi with oysters. I usually stick with just "sliced cabbage kim chi". (Oysters with Kim Chi does not sound too appealing to me). :p

They have different flavored SPAM. Some of the different kind of SPAM include SPAM Classic, SPAM Hot & Spicy, SPAM Less Sodium, SPAM Lite, SPAM Oven Roasted Turkey, Hickory Smoked, SPAM with real Hormel Bacon, SPAM with Cheese, SPAM Black Pepper, SPAM Garlic, and SPAM Spread. I want to be more health conscious, hence getting the "LITE". Makes me feel better this way ;) Also, if you really want Kim Chi Fried Rice but do not have SPAM, you can substitute hot dogs for SPAM.

"SPAM" came from two words, "SPiced HAM."

All you need is this + 3 eggs!

Kim Chi is delicious as is!

Diced SPAM. (I gave one to my dog. Boy was he crazy about it!)


Kim Chi and SPAM

RECIPE
Serving: about 6

2 and 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 SPAM
1 onion
1 lb kim chi
5 TBSP hot red pepper paste
3 eggs
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

First cook the 2 and 1/2 cups of uncooked rice. (This is also a perfect time to use left over rice).

Dice the SPAM and onion. Roughly chop the kim chi into smaller pieces. From the 3 eggs, make scrambled eggs.

Heat 1 TBSP oil on high heat. When oil is hot, put in the diced onions and stir for about 2-3 minutes. Add in the kim chi and stir another 3-4 minutes. Then add in the SPAM. Stir that for about 3 minutes. Stir in 5 TBSP of paste with the rest of the ingredients (except the rice). Add in the salt and pepper. After mixing everything together, add the rice and mix thoroughly. You can also add the paste after the rice but I find that when heating up the paste, the heat brings out it's flavor better than mixing the paste INTO the rice. Either way works though. You can even heat up 2 TBSP first, then add remaining 2 TBSP when the rice goes in. When everything is thoroughly mixed, add in the scrambled eggs and mix or just serve egg on top.

This dish is so easy to adjust. Meaning, if you find it too spicy with the paste, add in more rice. If you find it not spicy enough, add in more paste!

How simple is this? :)

Cafe Con Leche - Coffee

2012-01-15T18:43:00.001-05:00

I am addicted to coffee. I am addicted to it's caffeine but more than anything, I am addicted to it's taste and smell. Coffee has such a strong and appealing aromatic smell. The aroma of coffee actually soothes me and relaxes me but at the same time wakes me up mentally to start my day. It sounds ironic how it can wake me up and relax me at the same time but it really does. The wonders of coffee! Actually, the term "wake up and smell the coffee" really does have some truth to it. According to FoxNews, "An international group of scientists reports that inhaling the rich, warm aroma of a hot cup of joe may alter the activity of some genes in the brain, reducing the effects of sleep deprivation — no drinking required."

Recently I have been addicted to the coffee that they make in the lobby deli of my work building. My coworker told me about it and ever since then, I have been craving their coffee.

When watching the man make it, he didn't use anything other than Nescafe Instant coffee but the biggest difference in Cafe Con Leche coffee versus the usual coffee we make on a rush is that extra time that is put in to steam the milk! This added step really does make a big difference in taste. (Side Note: I am really starting to believe that Americans rush through everything (even when making their coffee!). In France (Café au lait), Italy (Cafe Latte), Spain (Cafe Con Leche), all these coffees have one similarity - carefully steamed milk. Americans seems to always be in a hurry. We would usually get black coffee and add in some cold milk or creamer and sugar for some taste).

Cafe Con Leche is a Spanish way of making coffee. The typical proportion of Cafe Con Leche is about 1/3 cup of coffee to 2/3 cup hot milk. (Having more milk than coffee). However, depending on where you go and your own preference, you can change the ratio to your own liking. I actually am not used to having too much milk in my coffee so I changed the recipe to my own liking - still deeeeelicious! :)


When combining the coffee into the steamed milk, it will create foams on top. You can scoop that and add to your cup of coffee!

RECIPE

Serving: 2-3

2 cups water

1 cups milk

3 tsp of instant coffee (Nescafe is what I used. You can use any coffee you want - doesn't have to be instant)

1 TBSP sugar (adjust to your liking)

Boil 2 cups of water. Add in instant coffee and stir for about one minute. Since this is instant, you do not need to cook it for long. Pour it in a separate big bowl. Clean the pot and add in 1 cup of milk and 1 TBSP of sugar (you can adjust taste later). When the milk starts to simmer (not boiling), add in the coffee. Turn the fire to medium. Stir occasionally. You should start to see foams starting to form. If you do not like the foam, scoop it up and discard. I like the foam with my coffee!

That's it. How easy right? Enjoy your Cafe Con Leche!! :)

Honey Cinnamon Oatmeal with Toasted Walnuts and Dates

2012-01-15T17:14:00.002-05:00

What is something bland that I can turn into something delicious? How about turning some plain oatmeal into some honey cinnamon oatmeal with walnuts and dates?

That is exactly what I decided to make for breakfast. I decided to turn boring oatmeal into crunchy, chewy, yummy breakfast. Oh! And I almost forgot to mention "healthy!" Oats are great for your heart and is one of the easiest way to fight heart disease.

If you care about good spices, Penzeys Spices is a great place to order your spices. They can ship spices straight to your home.

Any dates would work. I used these that I got from Costco! :)

I used about 6 dates and a handful of walnuts. I like to toast my walnuts before using them for anything as it gives it a toasty flavor.

Roughly chop up the dates and walnuts

RECIPE
Serving - 1 to 2

1 cup oatmeal
1 and 3/4 cups water
about 6-8 dates, roughly chopped
handful of walnuts, roughly chopped (I like to toast mine)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP honey (adjust to your taste preference)

Boil 1 and 3/4 cups of water on high heat. When the water starts to simmer, pour in the oatmeal. Cook for about 8 minutes or accordingly to direction on package on medium low heat. Add in the dates and walnuts. Cook for another minute or two. Stir well.

Let cool for a few minutes and then sprinkle the cinnamon and stir in honey at end. Do not cook with the honey as it will create sort of a sour taste.

Serve and enjoy this healthy, very simple to make, heart healthy breakfast. This is also a great source of vitamins and minerals! After this meal, you will be up and ready for the day! ;)

Classic Yellow Cake with Coconut Flakes

2012-01-08T21:23:00.000-05:00

So being that it is my sister's 25th birthday, I decided to bake her some cupcakes! (This is great because I get another excuse to make something sweet). I used a classic yellow cake mix and decided to spice it up with 1/2 cup of coconut flakes to give the cake a slight coconut flavoring.

Also, when I use cake mixes, I also check the container to see if they have added pudding. As you can see on the top of the package, it states, "1 Cup of Pudding in the Mix". Since I also have a bunch of my own Jello-O brand instant puddings, I decided to use one as well. I used the vanilla flavoring. The reason for the pudding in the mix is to create a moist and homemade flavor. The pudding helps the cake retain the moisture. I find that if I just use a regular cake mix, the cake comes out more dry. I mean they are still good, just drier compared to ones with pudding added!

Yummy cupcake with shredded coconut flakes in the middle!

Feel free to substitute the instant vanilla pudding with an instant coconut pudding mix if you want more of a coconut flavoring cake.

I love frostings! Who doesn't? Remember, you can add more coconut flakes to your frosting. I didn't because look at the top of this container. It came with sprinkles that I wanted to use!

RECIPE:

1 box of Classic Yellow Cake Mix (you can use Classic White Cake Mix as well)
1 box of Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie filling (3.4 oz)
Frosting (Vanilla)
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup coconut flakes for cake mix (more if you want to add it to your frosting)

Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil into large bowl and using an electric mixer at low speed until combined. Then beat for another 2 minutes at medium speed. Add in the 1/2 cup of coconut flakes.

You can make 24 cupcakes (use 2 pan of 12-cupcake molds). Bake at 350 degrees for 19 minutes. When done, cool before applying frosting.

You can combine coconut flakes to the frosting and mix onto the cupcake. I didn't use anymore coconut flakes because I had sprinkles I needed to use up but feel free to add flakes to your frosting. Remember to apply the frosting AFTER the cupcake has cooled. Enjoy!! :)

So in addition to my cupcakes, my parents also got my sister a cake! It is a caramel cake from Martha's Country Bakery! Their cakes are amazing. The sweets were endless today! Definitely not complaining ;)

Happy Birthday Katie!!!!

Look at that caramel slowly dripping down the cake..Yumm!

Fried Oreos

2012-01-08T14:48:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't like sweets? I don't think I know anyone out there who doesn't crave sweets from time to time! I personally crave it EVERY single day (how embarrassing)! Well, I decided to make something sweet - FRIED OREOS (Yes, Americans can fry just about anything!) Now, not only is that sweet, it is also fried! This screams "DOUBLE GOODNESS!" :)

When I hear of fried oreos, I think of carnivals, funnel cakes, corn dogs, amusement parks. I finally decided to make it for myself for the first time. It was great - everyone loved it at my house and it was gone with the quickness. Very easy to make!

These are some of the ingredients you will need. Oreo cookies (I got the small pack - both the original ones and the golden ones - about 10 each), pancake mix, powdered confectioners sugar)

I then remembered I had a bag of Mini Oreos as well! I had bought this because I was going to put these little treats inside cupcakes (I'll make and post in a future recipe), but then had succumbed to temptations and finished half the bag before making the cupcakes. Now I do not have enough to make the cupcakes so I might as well use some of the remaining here. This will give me an excuse to buy another bag of these little guys! Yay to more sweets! :)

The Mini Oreos were so cute and they were great!

Close up :)


All the goodness inside. Deeelicious!!!! I'm craving one as I'm writing this up. Too bad I do not have anymore. Also, this is best when it is warm as the whole oreo cookie is no longer crunchy but has now melted and blended in with the pancake mix. My sister explained it as eating an oreo flavored "donut".

RECIPE
about 20 oreos (regular sized ones - I used both regular and the golden ones)
about 10 oreos (mini sized ones - optional)
2 cup of pancake mix
1 cup of milk
2 eggs
powered sugar

Mix the pancake mix with the milk and egg. Stir it until it is smooth. In a pan, add oil, enough to cover over the oreo with the batter (about 1.5 inches). Turn heat high to heat up the oil. Give it about 5 minutes.

When oil is ready for deep frying, dip the oreo cookies in the batter and make sure you get batter all around the cookie. You can do this with a spoon or just your fingers. I find using chopsticks easiest for me. Put the oreos in the oil. It turns golden brown really quickly so make sure to turn it to the other side after about 20 - 30 seconds.

I used both the regular oreos (black ones) and the golden ones. I like how once it is covered up in batter, you can't tell which is which so it would be a nice surprise to others biting into one! :) The black ones has a little more bitter taste whereas the golden ones are sweeter. Both are great in my opinion.

Place a paper towel on a plate and place finished oreos on top. Sprinkle with powered sugar and serve!!! This is best when it is warm (but of course not when you JUST take it out of the oil even though it is very tempting to)! :)

I hope you enjoyed this very simple to do recipe.

Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables

2012-01-07T16:53:00.002-05:00

My mom is such an inspiration to my learning to cook. She said when she first started cooking, she was not confidant at all, especially when she would have guests over, she would start to panic because not only does she have to figure out what to make, she also needed to make sure they LIKED what she made!! :p Well, now, whenever we have family gatherings, relatives would come over with an empty stomach and wait anxiously for my mom's cooking (pretending not to be hungry and pig-like, just chit chatting away, but we all knew they were constantly eying over the kitchen wondering when the food would be ready). She has a reputation amongst our relatives as a great cook. She rarely uses recipes and will know exactly the right amount of flavorings needed for an amazing dish.

Not only does she like to cook, my mom loves creating her own dishes from something original. For example, the Kung Pao Chicken is a very popular dish that originated from Sichuan province in China (usually comes with just chicken and peanuts) but my mom will make her own version of Kung Pao Chicken with extra vegetables such as adding in potatoes, carrots, and celery. Not only does this make an already great dish amazing, she also incorporates vegetables into her dishes for that extra nutritional value.

Kung Pao Chicken is so good that it became popular in the western cultures such as the US and Canada. You will definitely find this dish in any Sichuan Chinese restaurant. The history behind how we came about the name "Kung Pao Chicken" is quite interesting. In the Qing Dynsasty, there was an official/governor by the name of Ding Baozhen. He loved chicken with peanuts as this was one of his favorite dishes. Ding spent many years managing Sichuan province and the civilians loved him as he was well known for all the good deeds he has done for his people. He was nicknamed as "GongBao" which means "officer who governs the palace". This is a very honorable title, sort of like a title "Duke of England". Hence, Sichuan province named his favorite food as GongBao chicken which is now Kung Pao Chicken. I like the usage of Kung Pao more as it gives it that emphasis in sound - the "K" and the "Pow" gives this dish name an extra umph!!

Ok, here goes my replica of my mom's Kung Pao Chicken with Vegetables.

Dice up carrots, potatoes, and celeries. FYI - I forgot to use celery in my recipe which I recommend you add when you make yours.

Diced chicken breast (1 lb). Spread out on pan and fry for 2 minutes each side.

It should look like this after both sides are cooked, stir it around.

In a separate wok or pan, cook the potatoes, carrots, and celeries.

This is the oyster sauce I used.

Add the cashews or peanuts! And serve! :)

RECIPE

Serving: about 5

1 lb chicken breast (boneless and skinless), diced

4 slices ginger, thinned

1 TBSP rice wine (add while chicken is cooking)

1/2 tsp pepper (add while chicken is cooking)

1/2 cup cashews or peanuts

MARINATE CHICKEN (for 1/2 hour):

1 TBSP rice wine

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp soy sauce

1 TBSP corn starch

SAUCE:

1/2 onion, diced

1 whole scallion (head and green part)

2-3 medium sized potatoes, diced

1 small carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1.5 cup water

1 TBSP soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

2 TBSP oyster sauce

After dicing the chicken, marinate it for at least 1/2 an hour with rice wine, sugar, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and corn starch.

After at least half an hour marinating, heat up pan for 2 minutes (high heat), add the ginger and stir for 1 minute. Then add the chicken and cook about 2 minutes each side, spreading the chicken out on the pan. Add more rice wine and pepper while it is cooking. Then stir it around and break up the pieces.

In another pan, heat oil (high), then add onions and head of scallion (save green part for later). Stir for 3 minutes and add potatoes, carrots, water, and soy sauce. (Leave the celery for later as it cooks faster). Lower the heat to medium low, cover and let boil for 8-10 minutes. After 8-10 minutes, see if the potatoes and carrots are soft, if so, add in the celery, salt, sugar, sesame oil, oyster sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes. Pour the cooked chicken over the sauce, mix and top it off with the green part of scallion. Stir and cook one more minute and serve! Add cashews or peanuts on top! Serve and Enjoy! :)

Hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did. Have a good weekend everyone. Stay tuned! Read older posts for now!

Sweet and Sour Fried Fish

2012-01-05T22:16:00.002-05:00

I am getting excited about my new blog. Throughout the day I think about what to make to update my new blog! The choices are endless as I have an amazing appetite and there's just so much to make!! So I finally decided to make "Sweet and Sour Fried Fish". This dish is healthy and tasty as you will get the low-fat, high quality protein from fish and lots of nutrients from vegetables! Fishes are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to keep our heart and brain healthy. There is evidence from studies showing that if you consume fish or fish oil supplements, it will lower and reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, slows buildup of plaques and lowers blood pressure. Since our body doesn't produce its own omega-3 fatty acids, make sure to consume lots of fish whenever you can!

If you do not have time to make fish all the time, you can buy yourself a bottle of fish oil supplements but that does not taste as good as real food! Whenever possible, I always try to get my nutrients from food.

I hope you enjoy tonight's dish!

I start off with three fish (about 1 lb each fish). It doesn't matter what fish you use as long as it has a lot of meat. I used 3 sea bass. Before covering it in corn starch or sweet potato starch, I marinate it in salt, sugar, and ginger for about an hour in the fridge.

Cover the fish with corn starch or sweet potato starch (both works).

Preparing for the sweet and sour vegetable sauce (ginger, garlic, onions, carrots, red peppers, celeries).

Fry the fish in 10 TBSP of oil.

Flip the fish around after about 10 minutes and cook the other side for about 10 minutes as well.

On a separate pot, prepare the sweet and sour vegetable sauce.

After the fish is fried, pour the sweet and sour sauce over the fish, and serve! How simple!

RECIPE:

Serves about 6

3 fish (about 1 lb each) - doesn't really matter what fish you use but I used sea bass

MARINATE FISH (for about an hour) with:

1 TBSP rice wine

4 slices of ginger sliced in thin strips
1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

______________________

2 TBSP corn starch or sweet potato starch

10 TBSP oil
______________________

SWEET AND SOUR VEGETABLE SAUCE

1 TBSP oil

4 slices of ginger sliced in thin strips

3 garlic, sliced thin

1 onion (medium) - (use purple for color if you have)

1 carrot, sliced

1/2 stalk of celery, sliced

1/2 red pepper (can use orange or yellow or green for colors), sliced

1 TBSP fish sauce

1.5 TBSP soy sauce

2 TBSP rice vinegar

2 1/3 cups water, divided

1.5 TBSP corn starch

4 TBSP sugar

1 tsp pepper (use white pepper powder if you have)

1 tsp salt

Marinate the fish for about one hour with rice wine, ginger, salt, and sugar. After you marinate it, cover it with corn starch or sweet potato starch, and let the fish sit for 5 minutes (to make sure the starch sticks onto the fish before frying). If you want, you can also use an egg white on the fish right before covering with starch as this will allow the starch to stick on the fish more. I didn't use the egg white and it was fine.

Heat up about 10 TBSP oil in a pan in medium-high heat. Fry each side of the fish for about 10 minutes each. Cover the pan, leaving about an inch opening for air so it doesn't get too fried.

On the side, prepare the sweet and sour vegetable sauce. Heat up oil and add ginger, garlic, onion and stir for about 5 minutes. Then add, carrot, celery, red pepper, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 2 cups of water. Cover and let it boil. While it is boiling, in a separate small bowl, mix together corn starch with remaining 1/3 cup water and pour into the boiling sauce. Stir and the sauce will thicken. Finish sauce with sugar, pepper, and salt.

Once the fish is fried and cooked through on both sides, pour the sweet and sour sauce over the fish, and serve with rice! Enjoy this yummy and healthy dish! :)

My dog, Maxi gets a seat at the dining table as well. This is him falling asleep while waiting patiently for some human food.

Three Cup Chicken

2012-01-04T21:14:00.005-05:00

So this past weekend, I went to a small restaurant in Flushing, Queens, NY called Gu-Shine with some girlfriends. I didn't think anything of it when I went because it is not a fancy restaurant, sort of an in-between a hole-in-the-wall and a small restaurant, however, little did I know, this place makes amazing "Three Cup Chicken" (San Bei Ji). This dish completely stood out for me. I wasn't too sure the name of it however, this is the literal translation in English and indeed, this is the name used. Three Cup Chicken is a well known Taiwanese dish. The name is derived from using three "cups" of liquids - soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil.

I put quotations around the word "cups" above because it doesn't necessarily have to be exactly one cup each but the ratio of each of these liquids need to be the same. For example, if using 1/3 cup soy sauce, then you would also use 1/3 cup for rice wine and 1/3 cup for sesame oil. These 3 sauces combined with the same proportion, plus ginger, garlic, a little bit of sugar, and ending with basil will fuse together an aroma and taste that you will never forget!

My whole chicken (about 3 lbs)

Heat sesame oil. Then add ginger and garlic (do not need to mince up the garlic or ginger; whole pieces, slightly chopped or crushed is fine).

Adding in the chicken

This is the rice wine (Mi "rice" Chiu "wine) I used.

The Sesame Oil I used.

Fresh Basil - I used this much for one chicken. You may use more or less depending on your preference but try not to skimp on these ingredients because they make a difference!

Voila!

RECIPE:

Serving: 4-6
1 whole chicken (when cutting to pieces, have bone and skin intact)
10-15 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
10-15 slices ginger
1/3 cup soy sauce (if you have both light and dark soy sauce, use 1/4 cup light soy sauce + 1/4 cup dark soy sauce).
1/3 cup sesame oil
1/3 cup rice wine
2 TBSP sugar
5-10 stalks of fresh basil (oriental Thai basil preferred)
1 scallion chopped (optional)

In a large pan, with heat high, heat up half the sesame oil, making sure it is hot enough and then stir in the garlic and ginger. Stir for about 2 minutes and add in the chicken; stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. Once you see some browning of the chicken, pour in the remaining half of the sesame oil, all the soy sauce and rice wine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Let the chicken simmer for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add in 2 TBSP of sugar and all of the Thai basil. Simmer for another 5 minutes. You may remove from heat and serve with rice. I like to use the liquids to pour over my rice. Enjoy! :)

Side Note: I didn't have dark soy sauce, hence that is why my chicken came out lighter in color. Lighter soy sauce is saltier and more liquidy than the dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is less salty, has more body (thicker) and can provide more color to the meat. It is also a little sweeter.

New Year

2012-01-03T01:09:00.003-05:00

2012! Happy New Year! I hear it, I smell it, I sense it!!! THIS WILL BE A GREAT YEAR! So I really should be sleeping now as I have to head back to work after my long 4-day weekend, but this year, I have decided to do something I have never done before - food and travel blogging. Yay! I am excited that I wanted to start right away! I have been amazed by some of the bloggers out there and what they have put together to share with others. I too, would like to share with you my experiences. I would also like to use this blog for my own benefit which is to record my own personal experiences; sort of like a journal so I can reference back to. :) I am a novice blogger so don't expect "experienced blogger's quality blogs" (as of yet at least!) Shortly, I will be just as "experienced". :)

(Picture taken at a pot luck 12/2011 - Secret Santa gathering at my friend's house)

A little about me. I am currently 27 years old, from NYC. I have been in NYC my whole life and I love it here. I love everything NYC has to offer me. I was born in the United States and my parents are from China so I still have a lot of the Chinese tradition. These few years, I started to really enjoy cooking and baking, especially if others enjoy the food I make. It gives me great pleasure to feed others. It is quite funny that this Christmas, some of the presents I got were two cookbooks, chocolate molds and a "bake giant cookie". As I started realizing my love for food (not just eating, but making), others are noticing it as well (or maybe they are getting me these things so I can make food for them...hm...who knows)

Cheers to a Happy New Year and a Healthy Appetite!

Stay tuned for further updates!