chop chop a to z

jasmine sugar cookies

2009-05-27T09:20:00.005-07:00

It has been so long since I last updated this blog. Am I lacking in cooking inspiration? Absolutely not! I have to confess that I have not left my kitchen empty one day, except when I was traveling or being far from home. You could say that cooking was my basic instinct since I was a child. And now I have the hubby to feed. Homemade food is healthier, more delicious, and cheaper. Those factors

Vietnamese cold spring roll

2008-12-28T13:53:00.001-07:00

Happy (belated) Holidays to all of you! I hope you had a memorable and very Merry Christmas. Wish you have a Wonderful New Year 2009!Some of my friends asked for the sauce recipe for these fresh and healthy spring rolls. They reminded me that there are still a lot of recipes on my Vietnamese blog that I have not translated into English. Recipe by van--chop chop a to zIngredients:Serves 44 rice

Salmon and veges with creamy sauce

2008-12-18T18:41:00.003-07:00

An ultra pleasant dish to join Seven Fishes Feast, hosted by Maryann from Finding La Dolce Vita, and Joe from Italyville.Recipe by van -- chopchopatozIngredients:Serves 22 Atlantic salmon fillets (8oz each)1 carrot or 12 baby carrotshaft head broccoli florets, rinsed, cut into bite-sized pieces2 medium potatoes, sliced 1-inch thick1/2 tsp chicken bouillon2/3 cup heavy creamsea salt and pepper to

Matcha green tea cookies

2008-12-17T08:35:00.006-07:00

Ho! Ho! Ho! Here comes a little deer in fir forest! I got this recipe at "For the love of dessert" from here.Ingredients:3/4 cup (2.25 oz) Confectioners sugar5 oz Unsalted butter, cut into cubes1 3/4 cup (8.5 oz) All-purpose flour3 Large egg yolks1.5 TBS Matcha (powdered green tea)1 cup Granulated sugar (for coating) Method:1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.2)

Chicken and mixed veges in a puff pastry shells

2008-12-15T13:34:00.007-07:00

I used ingredients I had on hand and here is what I came up with! A creamy and flavorful appetizer that turned out rather prettily. It is good enough to make for a dinner guest or any festive occasion. I sent it to the Original Recipes- Culinarty Round-Up Event hosted by Culinarty by Lore Ingredients:1 sheet (5 oz) of homemade puff pastry or 6 frozen puff pastry mini shells1 cup cubed cooked

New updates

2008-12-15T11:00:00.002-07:00

Are you tired of your kitchen? These tea towels will add color and unique accent to your kitchen!They are on Etsy http://vijako.etsy.com

Macaroon

2008-12-10T15:02:00.006-07:00

Christmas is approaching, but I am about to write a post about Thanksgiving dinner. How outdated this feels! Sorry about the prolonged absence.Let me share with you these little French cuties – macaroons! I am so glad that I was successful on the first try. The texture is a perfect balance of crunchy outside and chewy inside. It is so wonderful! For sure, this is my springboard to more adventures

Homemade-pineapple-jam tart

2008-11-26T11:07:00.003-07:00

I am aware of my negligence of posting recently. That does not mean I am not cooking and baking any more, just that I am totally engrossed in embroidery. I really enjoy listening to beautifully smooth sounds of jazz while embroidering, and this makes me too busy to even think about snacks during the day :) But my love for food is everlasting. I still keep seeking out new recipes to try. And a

Featured items from Etsy shop

2008-11-14T15:17:00.004-07:00

Have just listed tea towels today, more to come soon! http://vijako.etsy.com

Apple-stuffed chicken breast with caramelized onion

2008-11-11T07:25:00.003-07:00

Since I have never planned menus ahead of time, sometimes I can't decide the menu for a meal. On average, I go to the grocery store once a week, and I try to buy mostly seasonal & on-sale ingredients. The menu for a day is always based on the ingredients I have on hand, and it often comes together at the last minute when I check the fridge before starting to cook. I also want to use ingredients

My Etsy shop

2008-10-29T13:57:00.003-07:00

Hello my dear readers!I am so happy to introduce you to my new shop on Etsy.http://vijako.etsy.comI've only posted here about food so far, but I have to confess that I've had a passion for embroidery since I was very young. This Etsy shop is the result of my efforts. I love stitching and I fall in love with each piece that I make. I hope that through the VIJAKO shop, my works can be passed on to

Pumpkin custard

2008-10-23T19:02:00.008-07:00

The sun sets early and cold breeze comes along with the darkness. Piles of pumpkins appear at every grocery stores. It reminds me that autumn is finally here. So I decided to translate this recipe from my Vietnamese blog to welcome the coming of autumn. Hopefully a wonderful season for all of us! Recipe adapted from hereIngredients:1 medium pumpkin200 ml coconut milk4 eggs1 cup palm sugar (or 3/4

Whole wheat walnut bread

2008-10-16T15:01:00.004-07:00

After reading through The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart, I feel more confident about baking bread at home without getting scared about the result. It's a wonderful book that explains all the basics of bread baking technique. It encouraged me to create my own favorite bread recipes, and this is one of them. It has a wonderfully moist, chewy

Bacon wrapped bean sprouts

2008-10-13T18:20:00.006-07:00

Bean sprouts are very common in Asian cuisine. Fortunately, it is not hard to get in average grocery store. Their delightful crunch and mild flavor make for an enjoyable experience in this simple side dish, a great combination of bacon--as a high-fat ingredient and mung bean sprout--as a healthy food, being free of cholesterol.This was created to join the Round-Up Event of Original Recipes

Candied orange zest

2008-10-08T19:10:00.001-07:00

After reading a candied pomelo zest recipe on AllAbout, one of my favorite Japanese food websites, I kept thinking about this sort of candy, thinking it must be good. But it's hard to find pomelo around here. I decide to substitute orange for pomelo, and the result didn't disappoint. Its aroma is so attractive that I wanted to eat more and more. Let me share this recipe with you.zest of 4

Vietnamese noodle "Phở" seasoning

2008-09-29T15:08:00.002-07:00

Whole clovesStar anise Coriander seedsBlack Cardamom Rock sugar (optional)Black pepperCinnamonDried clementine skinGolden grilled onion & old ginger

Pineapple jam

2008-09-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to pick the freshest fruits and make them into my own jam. When the jam is bubbling on the stove, it produces a sweet, pleasant aroma all around the house. It is also very satisfying to savor the taste of seasonal fruits year round. In last strawberry season, I made jam twice and it supplied enough for breakfast for half of the year.This was my first attempt at making pineapple

Banana nut bread

2008-09-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

This moist bread with light banana and coconut flavor is one of my favorite recipes to end up ripe bananas. Adapted from "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook"Ingredients:3 cups all purpose flour1 tsp baking soda3/4 tsp salt3 large eggs2 cups sugar1 1/3 cups vegetable oil2 tbsp vanilla extract1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut1 cup pecans, or walnuts, toasted and finely

Coconut ice cream with pineapple chunks

2008-09-09T22:38:00.001-07:00

After successfully creating coconut ice cream, this time I went one step further, adding fresh pineapple chunks. The result is... NOT BAD! This is best to eat right after it comes out of the ice cream maker. The fresh pineapple tends to become icy in the ice cream when store in freezer.It's a lot of fun to create something, even when the results are unexpected. Sometimes, after spending time to

Pan-fried tilapia with tomato sauce

2008-09-04T16:31:00.003-07:00

(Serves 2)2 tilapia fillets1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped2 garlic cloves, finely chopped1 shallot, finely chopped1 fresh red chili, seeded, chopped or 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes1 sprig basil, chopped1 tbsp white wine2 tbsp corn starchsalt, black pepper, olive oilsugar (optional)Method:Tomato sauce:Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot,

Orange Sorbet

2008-09-03T16:15:00.007-07:00

Adapted from "Joy of Cooking"A perfect refreshing dessert for hot summer. Aren't they pretty?Ingredients:2 cup fresh orange juice1 cup sugarzest of 1 medium organic orange, removed in strips1 tbsp fresh lemon juiceMethod:1) Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, sugar, orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.2) Remove the pan

Japanese mixed rice -- "Takikomigohan"

2008-09-02T19:10:00.001-07:00

Do you like rice and soy sauce? If so, you will be satisfied with a bowl of this mixed rice. In Japan, this dish is usually served in the Fall. But I eat throughout the year.Here is the way I made.Ingredients:4 servers1 1/2 cups Japanese rice, washed and drained in a colander about 30 minutes11 oz (300 g) boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into small pieces1 pack shimeji mushroom, removed

Cinnamon raisin pecan bread

2008-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary BreadI first tried making bread when my sister-in-law invited me to make whole wheat loaves together. I can still remember how fun it was to knead and see the dough rise. And when it was baking, the house was filled with a wonderful smell. Now, I am convinced that nothing is as good as homemade bread. I can save a lot

Coffee ice cream

2008-08-29T09:00:00.002-07:00

Adapted from " Joy of Cooking"This season in Phoenix, when one longs to travel to the mountains or the sea, ice cream is a perfect choice for me to end a sweltering summer day. Coffee has to be one of the most refreshing treats. So, how about homemade coffee ice cream? why not?This tasty, creamy dessert with the tantalizing flavor of coffee is the best ice cream I've ever tried. Many thanks to "

Vietnamese dipping sauce

2008-08-28T09:00:00.002-07:00

I can still remember my first few months in Japan, my first time far away from Vietnam. I was 23, and I had only eaten Vietnamese food before. It was certainly an exciting time for me to learn new things, and enjoy real sushi, awesome sashimi, etc. But it was difficult to get used to the daily meals. They're similar to Vietnamese in that rice is the staple food, and soy sauce is a common