Eat Now Cry Later

WHEEL OF FORTUNE!!

2012-03-05T17:22:00.001-08:00

Hey, everyone! Just wanted to let you guys know that I will be appearing on Wheel of Fortune NEXT Tuesday, March 13th@ 7pm Pacific time!! Tune in to watch me spin the wheel!! :)

Mini Nutella and Banana Crepes

2012-03-05T00:40:00.000-08:00

You will need:
1 1/3 cup of flour
3 T of ricotta
3 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
3/4 cup of cold water
4 T of melted butter(plus more for frying crepes)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 T of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt

Optional garnishes and filling:
Nutella
strawberry or raspberry jam
whipped cream
bananas
powdered sugar
*you will also need a two inch biscuit cutter(optional)

Put all of the ingredients listed above into a blender. Blend it for 30 seconds. Stop motor, scrape the sides down to make sure you have no flour sticking to the sides. Put the lid back on and puree for 30 more seconds.

Place a stainless steel skillet on your stovetop and turn heat on to medium. When it's nice and hot, add in some butter and swirl it around the skillet. Lift your skillet up OFF of the stove and quickly pour in some batter and swirl that around to evenly distribute the batter as well. Place skillet back on stove top and allow to cook until slightly browned on bottom. Once browned, flip over and cook for 15 more seconds or so.

Watch my video below on how I prepare these cute, mini, bite sized desserts!

Peaches and Cream Mousse Parfaits

2012-02-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Hello, my friends!! These little guys are almost too cute to eat, aren't they?? These take literally MINUTES to prepare and are so fun to make! I promise you, that no matter what kind of crowd you're serving...that your guests will be utterly IMPRESSED!! I made these at my husband's 30th bday bash and they were a hit! The only difference, was that I used mango puree instead of peach puree when I served these last November. The requests for the recipe came pouring in but I told everyone that they would have to wait until I posted the recipe on Youtube. Am I thoughtful, or what?? :)

Love,
Sav (Oh, and fyi--scroll all the way down to view the video on how to make these!)

You will need:

2 cans of peaches in light syrup(if you are using fresh fruit you will need about 3 cups of fruit puree)
1/4 of NAKED BRAND Mango Smoothie(or you may add some peach schnapps for a little kick)
1 tsp of orange extract
1 cup of caster sugar(pulse sugar in food processor for 20 seconds)
2 extra large egg whites(at room temperature)
1/2 cup of boiling water
1 package of gelatin
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 drops of GEL food coloring

For the whipped cream topping:

2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
2/3 cup of powdered sugar

You will also need:

some shooter glasses/mini dessert glasses
piping bags and a star cake tip
an egg carton(optional)

Drain out all the liquid from your canned peaches. Add in your peaches, orange extract, caster sugar, and mango smoothie(or liqueur of your choice) into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour your peach puree into a large bowl and set aside.

Add the gelatin into the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool slightly and then add it into your peach puree. Stir to combine. Also add in two drops of gel food coloring. I didn't film that part, but it's important you add it in to retain that pretty peachy color.

Beat your egg whites until stiff. Set aside.

Beat your heavy whipping cream in a well chilled bowl until stiff. Using a balloon wire whisk, start off by taking some whipped cream and folding it into your peach puree. Once combined, take a little bit of your egg whites and fold it in gently as well. Interchange the two and repeat the process a few more times.

Next take your shooter glasses and place them at an angle on your egg carton. Place your egg carton on a large baking sheet...it makes transferring your mousse into the fridge a lot easier. Put your mousse into something with a spout, and then gently pour until the mousse reaches the top of the rim. Repeat with the rest of the glasses. Once all filled, move them into fridge and allow to set overnight.

Take some mini martini glasses, wet the rim very well with some water, and swirl the glasses in some orange or yellow sprinkles. Pour in your mousse half way up the glass. Once done, place into the fridge as well.

Once the mousse has set make your whipped cream topping. Add heavy cream into well chilled bowl and beat until soft peaks. Add in your vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat until stiff. Place some whipped cream(reserve the rest) into a disposable piping bag or ziplock baggy and cut about 1/4 inch or so off of the tip. Pipe the whipped cream into the shooter glasses just until you hit the rim. Using a different piping bag, fitted with a star cake tip, pipe the tops, using a circular motion, just as you would when frosting a cupcake. Garnish with mint and refrigerate until ready to serve!

If using mini martini glasses--first add a dollop of whipped cream and then flatten it out. Then top with whipped cream using the star tip just as described above. Garnish with mint leaves. Refrigerate until ready to be served!

Notes:

If you can find ripened mangos where you are then I suggest you try that variation out too! Since I couldn't find ANY ripened mango in town I decided to try out peaches and this variation is delicious too!! Just take a few mangos, peel the outer skin, rough chop the mango, and puree in blender the same way as in the video! Add in some of your favorite fruity liqueur to make it even MORE FANTABULOUS! :)

The Ultimate Cinnamon Roll Recipe

2012-01-29T21:27:00.000-08:00

Mmm..Cinnamon rolls!! Not just any cinnamon roll...these are super soft, HUGE, and taste HEAVENLY!! They may not be forgiving for my figure, but what the hell, I was having a terrible day and the fat girl inside of me was DYING to come out and play! Try this recipe out and you won't be disappointed!!

-Sav the savage

For the dough you will need:

1 cup of warm water
2 tsp of active dry yeast
1/4 cup of sugar
1 extra large beaten egg
3 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 T of potato flour(NOT POTATO STARCH/POTATO STARCH FLOUR)
*3 T of bakers special dry milk powder
1 T of vital wheat gluten
*1 tsp of diastatic malt powder or dough enhancer
1 1/2 tsp of salt
Vegetable oil
Softened butter for pan

For the filling you will need:

1/3 cup of brown sugar
3 T of white sugar
1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
2-3 T of melted butter

For the frosting you will need:

2 pkgs of softened cream cheese
1 stick of SALTED butter
1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar(or more if you like it sweeter)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
*This frosting makes enough for two batches so cut recipe in half or keep the rest in an airtight container and keep in fridge for later use).

*You can purchase the diastatic malt powder and baker's special dry milk from King Arthur's website! I wouldn't skip out on these two items because I KNOW, it's what sets my recipe apart from others. The result is a softer and fluffier cinnamon roll. Bakers dry milk powder is NOT the same as the dry milk powder found in your local grocery store! A lot of people use milk in their recipe but I find that dry milk powder works best, especially when using with yeast. If you MUST use milk, use skim milk instead of whole milk.

Here's a link to King Arthurs website: http://www.kingarthurflour.com

Take your warm water and add in your sugar. Sprinkle in your yeast and allow to proof for about 5-7 minutes or so. You know your yeast is activated when your mixture looks foamy/creamy.

While your yeast is proofing, take your all purpose flour, potato flour, vital wheat gluten, salt, diastatic malt powder, and bakers dry milk powder, and combine them in a large mixing bowl.

Take your egg and slightly beat it with a fork and set aside.

Once your yeast is activated, give it a small stir to loosen up the sugar that has sunk to the bottom. Pour it into your flour mixture along with your beaten egg. Mix it with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.

Pour your dough into a food processor and pulse for about 1 minute and 20 seconds. Take a small handful of flour and spread it on a clean work surface. Dump out your dough onto the counter and work quickly with your hands to make a small, more manageable ball. It doesn't need to be completely smooth for this part. It'll be slightly tacky and wet, but try to refrain from adding any additional flour.

Place your dough into a slightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat to prevent a crust on the tops. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and allow to double in size, about an hour.

While your dough is rising, make your filling. Mix your cinnamon, brown sugar, and white sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

After an hour or so, remove your dough from the bowl, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Take your lightly floured rolling pin and shape your dough into a large rectangular shape, trying to make it as even as possible.

Take some melted butter and spread it over the dough but not all the way to the edges.

Take your brown sugar and cinnamon mixture and spread it on the melted butter, leaving at least 1/4 inch space along the borders.

Roll up your dough into a tight log and pinch to seal the seams. Do the same to the ends.

Take a pastry cutter or serrated knife and lightly coat it with some baking spray. Cut your log in half at first and then proceed with cutting the rest into even slices. If you want really big cinnamon rolls, cut 6 to 8 slices instead of 10-12. The bigger the slices, the faster the second rise as well!

Take some softened butter and spread it in your baking dish.

Place your rolls cut side down in your baking dish, spray some cooking spray(like pam) on a piece of saran wrap, cover your pan, and then wait till tripled in size. Don't forget to allow some room for your rolls to grow(at least 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in between each roll). Let them rise in a warm, draft free place until tripled in size! Two hours is a good time for me but may differ for you!

Once your rolls are ready, bake them in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.

While your rolls are baking, take your softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and beat until nice and creamy. Taste check and add more powdered sugar if you wish. Set aside.

Once your cinnamon rolls are done baking Take some melted butter and lightly coat each roll. This will add to the overall softness of it. Immediately, take your cream cheese frosting and slather them all over the rolls while they are still hot. Serve warm and ENJOY!!

Notes: If you wish to make these ahead of time and want to have some ready for breakfast then you can place the rolls in the fridge, overnight, during their last and final rise. In the morning, take the rolls out and allow them to come to room temp before baking. If you want to speed up the process, pre heat your oven to the LOWEST temp you can(mine is 170 degrees) place a pot of boiling water in the bottom of your oven, and then place your rolls in there and allow them to puff up for about 15 minutes or so. I must admit though, that I have NOT tried the overnight method with my recipe yet but plan on doing it soon! If there's any problem with this method, please do bring it to my attention! Thanks ahead of time! :)

Wheel of Fortune trip Vlog Episode 2

2012-01-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

Sausage Egg Mcmuffin from Mcdonald's(copycat recipe)

2012-01-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

Whoever made the rule that we could only order a sausage egg mcmuffin from Mcdonald's between the hours of 5-10 am were IDIOTS!! How on earth can I satisfy that craving at 3 pm when the damn drive thru lady won't let me order my favorite sandwich!! I guess it's just as well though, considering that if I could, I would probably be a 500 pound Asian woman...

On a much lighter note, I came up with this quick and easy copycat recipe so that everyone can enjoy this delicious sandwich ANY TIME OF THE DAY! It's also half the fat because I use an all veggie pattie that tastes pretty darn good, slathered in between a buttered up piece of english muffin. I have to admit though, that I will ALWAYS be a sucker for the sausage patty that Mcdonald uses for their Mcmuffin! At least with this recipe, you have the option of going healthier. You can omit the butter(can't see why you would want to),use fat free sharp cheddar cheese, use ALL egg whites, and even use fat free english muffins as a substitute! Although, I will warn you..I tried the fat free english muffins before and they don't taste very good! Nonetheless, how awesome is it that you can enjoy a favorite sandwich of yours with only half the calories?!? TRY THIS RECIPE...YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!

Love Always,
Sav

You will need:

A tin food can with the top lid and bottom completely removed
one whole egg(or just egg whites if you wish)
one Morning Star veggie patty(original tastes the best)
an english muffin
slice of cheese(I like American)
butter
a large pot with lid to cover
cooking spray
some water

Crack your egg into a small bowl and lightly salt and pepper

Place your tin can into an ungreased and unheated non stick pot. Turn the stove up to medium-medium high heat. Put the lid on and allow the pot and can to heat up before adding in egg.

Spray the bottom of the tin can with some cooking spray. Carefully, drop in your egg. Add a little bit of water to pot(just enough to coat the bottom of pan). Put lid back on, and allow to cook for 5 min or so. Check your pot at least once during cooking time and add more water if it has evaporated before your egg is fully cooked. When your egg looks cooked but you still have more water in your pot, remove the lid and turn up the heat to high for a quick second, to allow your water to evaporate. Remove and set aside.

Follow the directions on the Morning Star package. You can choose which way you'd like to cook them. It should take a good 8-10 minutes.

Here's a picture of what the packaging looks like:

When your veggie patties are almost done, start buttering up your english muffins and place them buttered side down in a large skillet. Once they've browned, flip them over and place a slice of cheese on it and allow it to sit for about 10-15 seconds. Remove from heat.

Check on your veggie patties and remove them when they have fully cooked through. Now all that's left is putting it all together and well, do I really need to tell you how to do that?? :)

I'm going to be on a game show!!

2012-01-03T01:56:00.000-08:00

Homemade Bread

2011-12-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

Nothing beats coming home to the smell of homemade bread! A good tasting bread recipe is easy to come by...one that is not dense, yet light and fluffy is another story. Just like you, I've scoured the internet and tried countless recipes, searching for a light and airy sandwich bread, yet none prevailed. Over the years, I've read what seems like hundreds of forums, and researched many sites, and this year I think I finally came up with a recipe that I hope will do homemade bread some justice. :)

Baking bread is definitely an art form in itself because a lot of things factor into how your bread will turn out, like humidity. If you've ever come across a recipe that says "about" 5-6 cups or so, it's because flour reacts differently in their ability to absorb moisture. That's why I like to use the food processor(although I'm sure some professional bakers would disagree) because it allows my recipe to stay pretty consistent. When kneading by hand or with a stand mixer, I always feel the need to add more flour because of the "tackiness" of the dough but in my years of bread making, slightly tacky and wetter dough will result in a softer/lighter loaf of bread.

Why don't I use bread flour? Although bread flour is awesome to use because of it's high protein content(which results in a beautiful rise) it will also yield a more chewier loaf so that's why I use all purpose flour. It's very important to add the vital wheat gluten which gives the overall loaf great structure and helps it stay risen.

Oh, and fyi if you were trying to find a homemade bread recipe that stays soft for days, well let me tell you, that YOU AREN'T GOING TO FIND IT! That's the beauty of making it yourself--you know EXACTLY what's going in it! Grocery store bread and such use additives and enzymes to their dough to increase shelf life. I use diastatic malt powder only to add softness to the overall texture of the loaf.

You will need:
1 cup of warm water(95-110 degrees F)
2 tsp of active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
1 T of potato flour(NOT POTATO STARCH OR POTATO STARCH FLOUR)
*3 T of baker's special dry milk powder
1 T of vital wheat gluten
*1 tsp of diastatic malt powder or dough enhancer
1 and 1/4 tsp of salt
2 T of sugar
2 T of softened unsalted butter
* For the dry milk powder, I recommend that you purchase it from King Arthur's website! It's called Baker's Special Dry Milk Powder and it's nothing like the ones sold at your local grocery store. For starters, it's a lot smoother and finer in texture and not gritty. I don't know what's in that stuff but it makes the bread waaay softer and lighter!

* I also purchased the Diastatic Malt Powder and Potato Flour from the King Arthur website. Both of these items are crucial in this recipe because they make the bread lighter/fluffier and not dense like most recipes! Try not to leave these things out! I will post a link below that will take you directly to their website!
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/diastatic-malt-powder-16-oz

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-potato-flour-16-oz

Start off by sprinkling your yeast into your warm water. Make sure it isn't too hot-you don't want to kill your yeast. Give it a little stir and then add in your sugar and stir one more time. Allow to sit until mixture becomes creamy or when you can see the yeast kind of "sprouting" on the top of the surface(at least 5 min or so). Now, you know that your yeast is "alive".

While you're waiting for your yeast to wake up, add your all purpose flour, diastatic malt powder, potato flour, and vital wheat gluten into a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.

When your dough is activated, give it a quick stir to loosen up the sugar that has fallen to the bottom of the bowl, and pour it into your dry mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix until well combined. Add in your salt last(yeast doesn't like salt but adds flavor)give it a another quick mix, and then add your dough into the food processor.

Pulse for 1 minute. Turn off food processor and slightly flatten out the dough and then slather on your softened butter. Take your hand or butter knife and bring some dough over the butter. Pulse for 30 more seconds. It's easy to over knead dough in the food processor so stay close.

Place dough onto a clean work surface and working with very fast hands, form it into a nice smooth ball. Don't overdo it. I recommend NOT adding any additional flour to your work surface unless you absolutely HAVE TO! When you begin to work with the dough, you will notice that the stickiness of the dough will start to smooth itself out.

Place dough into a bowl and add a small amount of vegetable oil. Place your dough in the bowl and toss to coat. This will prevent a crust from forming at the top of the dough. Cover with saran wrap and allow to double in size. This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hr depending on your weather conditions. A warm and draft free place is recommended.

Once doubled in size, take two fingers, lightly press them into some flour, and then poke the top of the dough--if your indentations stay, then your dough if ready to be rolled out.

Take dough and place on clean work surface and punch it down the middle. Sometimes I give it a few small punches to release some of the large air pockets that have formed within the dough. Using a rolling pin, gently roll it out and then shape it into a log(if you notice your dough sticking, lightly flour your rolling pin to get the flow going). Pinch the seam together and roll it over itself with the seam side down. Pinch and seal the two ends as well.

Take some vegetable oil and lightly coat your bread pan but don't overdo it. Get in there with your hands and make sure that the sides are well coated as well. Take a piece of saran wrap sprayed w/ some baking spray and cover your dough. Allow to rise one more time until it has risen to at least half an inch to an inch high above the sides of the pan. There is such thing as letting it rise too long. If you over did it, the dough will collapse and you will end up with a brick!

Place a cast iron skillet on the bottom of your oven. Turn your oven to 350 degrees. Once done preheating, remove saran wrap from loaf and gently slide it into the oven. Take about 5 ice cubes and add those into the cast iron skillet and close the oven door. Don't slam it, you don't want to disturb your dough. That steam from the ice cubes will give your bread a nice rounded "dome" like shape and a beautiful brown crust. After about 15 minutes, remove your cast iron skillet cause it won't do any good in there at that point.

Bake for 25-30 minutes(tap the bottom of the pan-if it sounds hollow it's done). If the tops get too brown for your liking, you may tent it with some foil for the last 10 minutes. I like it when the crust is really brown so I never tent it. Remove from oven and immediately place onto wire racks to cool completely. Brush the tops with melted butter and allow to cool for one hour before slicing. If you slice into them too soon the texture of the bread will be sort of "gummy" in texture.

Slice and enjoy!! If you're starting to bake more often I would highly recommend purchasing a electrical knife for nice and even slicing. I have one by Black and Decker that I am in love with! No more sloppy pieces of uneven bread! Also the bread will stay soft for up to two days on the counter. One loaf for my house lasts only for a day so it works out perfectly in my favor. Keep it stored in a tight paper bag and away from sunlight and only cut what you need.

If you've never made bread before it might be a good suggestion, to do it all by hand first, just to get the feel of what good dough should feel like. Contrary to what most think, the dough should be soft, supple, and somewhat tacky and wet. It's so hard to explain but you will get what I mean the more you experiment with it. If you turn out brick hard loaves don't be discouraged! Trust me, I've been there! Matter of fact...I STILL go there sometimes! Yeast is very temperamental and if you don't baby it, it could turn on you when you least expect it! So have fun in the kitchen and remember PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

2011-12-05T01:08:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! Below is a quick slideshow from my husband's 30th birthday bash that my bestie and I hosted last month. We got personalized Jones Soda bottles done and my best friend Linda did all the personalized goody bags, snack cups and much more! Visit her etsy store if you have time cause she does EVERYTHING from wedding invitations to fun bachelorette party stuff!!

Here's the link to her etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ltndesigns

Vietnamese sour soup(canh chua)

2011-12-04T15:53:00.001-08:00

You will need:

7(14.5 ounces)cans of low sodium chicken broth--makes about 3 quarts
1 pound of cleaned cat fish fillets(you may use chicken)
1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups chopped fresh pineapple
4 large tomatoes cut into medium sized chunks
about 1 pound of okra
1/2 pound of baha(elephant ear stems)or fuzzy squash
8 ounces of cleaned bean sprouts
a handful of cleaned rice herb patty
a handful of mexican or saw tooth coriander
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of fish sauce
2 T of sugar
3 T of tamarind

Garnishes:

chopped fresh herb patty
sliced fresh chili peppers

Chop up your pineapple and set aside. Wash your tomatoes and okra, chop those up then set aside. Take your elephant ear stems, peel off the skin, and slice them at a diagonal about 1/4-1/2 inch thick and set aside as well.

Bring your chopped pineapple and chicken broth to a rolling boil then add in your fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Give it a stir then add in your cleaned catfish fillets and let them simmer for about 5 minutes. If using chicken, please make sure chicken is cooked through before adding in your veggies.

Next add in your okra and elephant ear stems. Stir and let that cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir in your tamarind powder then skim off any foam or scum that has floated to the surface. Taste for seasoning and add more fish sauce, salt, sugar, or tamarind powder if needed.

Turn off the stove at this point and add in your cleaned bean sprouts. Stir to combine then top it off with your chopped rice herb patty and mexican coriander. Pour into bowl and serve warm. Top it off with more chopped fresh herb patty and slices of fresh chili peppers! DELICIOUS!

Notes: This makes quite a bit of soup so feel free to cut recipe in half!

Christmas Cookies

2011-11-28T23:06:00.000-08:00

For the cutout cookies, you will need:
cookie cutters
1 package of sugar cookie mix(I like Betty Crocker's)
1 stick of salted butter(to help cancel out some of the sweetness)
1 T of flour
1/2 tsp of orange extract
1 egg

For the icing you will need:
3 egg whites
about 3-3 1/2cups of powdered sugar
some water to control consistency
You will also need an assortment of GEL food coloring, some parchment paper, a large cookie sheet, disposable cups/spoons for easy clean up, and disposable piping bags. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THOSE TOOTHPICKS AND COOKIE CUTTERS!! :)

Follow the instructions for the cutout cookies on the packaging(just mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl). Make sure you use salted butter and add the orange extract for a more homemade taste. Once combined, divide dough into two discs and chill in fridge for a few hours(overnight is okay too).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Once chilled take the dough out(one at a time to keep it cold) and place on a WELL floured surface. Take a floured rolling pin and roll it out to at least a 1/4 inch thick. Take your cookie cutter and lightly tap it into your flour before cutting out your shapes. Using a flat spatula, quickly but carefully remove the cutouts and place onto cookie sheet. If you wish, you may decide to remove all the excess dough first before removing the cutouts onto baking sheet...do whichever is faster for you.

Take all the scraps and bring them together to form a ball. Place it on a piece of parchment paper and use your palm to flatten it out. Take your floured cookie cutter and repeat steps. And remember at this point, your dough has softened so it's much easier to remove the excess dough around the shape and then place it onto baking sheet.

Bake until edges have turned slightly browned. Remove from oven allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing and placing on wire rack to cool.

To make the icing beat your egg whites until frothy. Add your powdered sugar about a cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency. Have a little water on hand just in case it gets a little too thick for you.

Divide icing into plastic cups and add whatever food coloring you wish. FYI food coloring darkens as it sits so if you're picky about your colors and are trying to impress, you may want to play around with these a head of time.

Place icing into disposable bags making sure you get all of the air bubbles out. Make a very small cut at the tip of the bag with scissors or you may use a small rounded cake decorating tip for more intricate work. Make sure you twist the top tightly while your icing the cookie and keep applying pressure as you go along!

Okay now, grab a cookie...AND START DECORATING!! But don't forget the most important thing....HAVE FUN!! :)

Pan fried tilapia w/ginger and soy glaze

2011-10-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

You will need:

1 whole tilapia(cleaned and patted dry)
salt and pepper
Wondra flour(or you may use corn starch or rice flour)
peanut oil

For the glaze:

1.5 ounce of ginger sliced into thin 2 inch strips(julienne).
1 small carrot cut into 2 inch strips.(I just used a julienne vegetable peeler to make the strips).
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 T of finely chopped onion or shallot
1 T of soy sauce
1 T of hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of brown sugar
1/8 tsp of black pepper
some cornstarch mixed with a little bit of water
peanut oil

Garnishes:

thinly sliced onion
green onion
cilantro or parsley

Chop up your garlic and onion and set aside. Next, slice your ginger and carrots into thin 2 inch strips. I have an awesome stainless steel julienne peeler that I purchased through Amazon that I used.

Clean your fish thoroughly and pat dry. Make three diagonal slashes on each side of the fish. Season lightly with salt and pepper and then coat your fish in wondra flour. If you don't have any wondra flour you may use cornstarch instead.

Heat a large skillet/wok on medium-medium high heat and put enough oil to submerge half of the fish. Fry until crispy/golden brown about 6-7 minutes depending on how large your fish is. Flip your fish and continue to fry for another 5 minutes or so. Remove and place fish on platter.

In a small bowl mix together your water, soy sauce, salt, brown sugar, hoisin, and black pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.

On medium high heat add some oil into a saucepan and add in your chopped onion. Cook until translucent. Add in your ginger, carrots, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and until everything has softened.

Add in your soy sauce mixture and cook on medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes tops. Take some cornstarch(about 1 tsp)and mix it with a bit of water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Turn off heat and your glaze is ready!! You may up the cornstarch mixture if you prefer a thicker glaze.

Pour your glaze over your fish while it's still warm and serve immediately!! Garnish with thinly sliced onions, scallions, parsley, or cilantro!

HAPPY EATING!!

Fried Rice

2011-10-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

You will need:

6 heaping cups of cold fried rice that has been brought back up to room temp.
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 Chinese sausage diced(you may sub with a couple of slices of chopped bacon)
1/2 cup of diced Hillshire farms sausage (1 cup total of diced meat)
1 cup of veggies(I just use mixed frozen veggies that have been thawed)
2 eggs beaten with an 1/8 tsp of salt
2 T of oyster sauce(I like the Lee Kum Kee Premium oyster sauce)
1 tsp of good quality soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp of good fish sauce
1 very rounded tsp of sugar(more if you like it sweeter)
2 pinches of salt
peanut oil

In a small bowl, mix your oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce and set aside.

Add your diced Chinese sausage into your skillet and cook over medium-medium high heat until nice and crispy. DO NOT ADD ANY OIL TO PAN. The diced sausage will produce it's own oil for you to continue frying. Once done, use a slotted spoon to remove and set aside. Leave the remaining oil in pan.

Gently beat the eggs in small bowl and add in 1/8 tsp of salt. Pour eggs into your skillet and fry omelet style. Once it's cooked, gently flip over with a spatula and continue to cook until no longer runny. Remove and using a pizza slicer or knife, slice into tiny squares and set aside.

On medium high heat, add in some peanut oil. Add in your diced sausage. Fry for a minute and then add in your chopped garlic. Once meat is heated through, add in your thawed veggies. Add in 2 pinches of salt and 1 very full teaspoon of sugar. Stir to combine.

When your veggies are heated through, add in your rice. Pour in your oyster sauce mixture that you set aside from earlier. Mix to combine quickly, making sure that all the rice is well coated. Once all coated, add back in your Chinese sausage and diced eggs.

Happy Eating!!!

NOTES:

Never use warm or hot rice. The result will be soggy fried rice that isn't very tasty and appealing on the eyes. I like to take freshly made rice and refrigerate for 2 sometimes 3 days! Just make sure to take rice out of fridge and let come to room temp before frying. If your rice is already hard(lets say you didn't put enough water in your rice) you don't even need to refrigerate..just let it come to room temp before frying. If your rice is soggy to begin with(you put TOO much water in your rice) then its best to refrigerate for 2-3 days.

Baked bbq pork buns. Tutorial coming soon. :)

2011-09-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

Wonton Soup

2011-09-19T02:15:00.000-07:00

Mmm, it's cold here in Washington and this wonton soup is EXACTLY what I needed to warm up today. It's light and filling at the same time and you know what??? You won't feel like a complete COW after you've devoured and slurped each and every tiny drop of that delicious broth. Give this soup a try...you won't be sorry. :)

For the broth you will need:

(3) 32 oz boxes of low sodium chicken broth plus 2 more cups of water(3.5 quarts total)

2 T of sugar

1/2 tsp of freshly grated ginger

1 1/2 tsp of salt

3 packets of wonton soup base mix( I use the brand dynasty)

1/8 tsp of white pepper(or more if you like spicy)

1 tsp of sesame oil

For the filling you will need:

1/2 pound of finely chopped shrimp(peeled and deveined)

1/4 of a pound(or 4 oz) of ground pork(give your pork a few quick chops on cutting board before mixing w/ shrimp)

3 T of finely chopped green bartlett pear(or water chestnut/celery if you wish)

1 green onion finely chopped

1 tsp of sugar

3/4 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of white pepper

1/2 tsp of garlic powder

some freshly grated ginger

You will also need:

chopped green onion for garnish

1 to 2 pkg's of wonton wrappers

1 egg lightly beaten

To make the broth:

Bring your chicken broth and water to a boil. Grate in your ginger. Add your salt and sugar. Add in your wonton soup mix. Stir to combine. Turn heat down(or off) and add in your white pepper and sesame oil last. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Don't make the broth too salty. You don't want it to overpower the taste of the wonton.

How to make the filling:

Place all of your ingredients into a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix it with clean hands. Once mixed, cover and let refrigerate for 1 hr to overnight.

How to assemble wontons:

Place 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of filling onto the middle of wonton wrapper. Using a pastry brush, lightly dab on some egg wash on all four sides of wonton wrapper. Fold over to create a triangle. Press the sides down gently and fold using technique shown in my video. Remember to have a damp cloth over filled wontons and wonton wrappers at all times to prevent drying out.

Place filled wontons in boiling water and cook for 5 minutes or until they all float to the surface. I recommend cooking ONE WONTON FIRST to taste for seasoning. Sometimes, I end up adding a touch more salt, sometimes more sugar. Once all cooked, using a slotted spoon, place in colander to drain excess water. Place wontons in pretty serving bowl, ladle on some warm broth, and garnish with chopped green onion.

Notes: You may freeze any leftover filling that you don't use. You may also cut the broth recipe in half.

Don't forget to watch my tutorial on how to make this easy and sinfully delicious wonton soup!!

Apple puff pastry

2011-09-19T02:01:00.000-07:00

Are you a mom who works full time, has 4 kids running around your house(one holding scissors) and is dying for something just a little bit sweeter in your life while not having the time?? Look no further, cause your solution is right here!! This is such an easy and delicious dessert using the frozen puff pastry that can be found in most grocery stores. All you need is some honey, honey and whipped cream for the topping and you're all set!!

You will need:

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry(thaw according to directions on package) -this will make 4 apple pastries

1 golden delicious apple thinly sliced or chopped(it's delicious w/ a bosc pear too)

some melted butter

cinnamon

brown sugar

honey

fresh whipped cream(or store bought)

powdered sugar

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

Thinly slice your peeled apple and set aside.

Place your thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Add a small amount of flour onto your puff pastry and rolling pin and gently roll out most of the cracks while slightly expanding the dough. Work quickly cause the longer you work the dough the tougher it may become.

Take a pizza slicer and cut into 4 large equal squares.

Put some melted butter on each square to give the brown sugar something to stick to. Take a fork and gently prick all over the dough.

Sprinkle on some brown sugar and cinnamon.

Place your apple slices in the middle of each square. I do two stacks but you can add more if you please. The more slices you add, the longer it will take to bake. Brush some melted butter on the apple slices and fold over each corner of the puff pastry over the apples and take some more butter to seal.

Place pastries on a piece of parchment paper over a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Place on platter or serving dish and drizzle on some honey while it's hot. Put some freshly whipped cream on each pastry(or store bought) and finish it off with a dusting of powdered sugar. YUMMY!!

Watch my tutorial and see how easy this recipe is!!

2011-09-10T00:47:00.001-07:00

Taking a little hiatus from filming...I AM SICK. :(

Homemade biscuits and gravy with crumbled up maple/brown sugar sausage links topped with crunchy bits of bacon.

2011-08-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

For the biscuits you will need:

2 cups and 1/4 cup of cake flour
1 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of shortening
2 T of sugar
3/4 tsp of salt
2 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 cup of buttermilk(I sub this for 1 cup of whole milk plus 1 T of vinegar-let it sit for 5 min. to sour)
1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter(to brush the tops of biscuits before/after

For the gravy you will need:

1/3 cup of bacon grease
1/3 cup of all purpose flour
1 1/2- 2 cups of warm whole milk(start off with 1 1/2 then add more to control consistency)
2 T of butter(optional)
2 pinches of sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Optional: sausage links/1 pkg of bacon/ shredded cheddar cheese for the toppings!!

Place all your bacon in unheated cast iron skillet on medium-medium high heat. Cook until crispy. Drain on paper towels and reserve the bacon grease for later use.

On medium heat, add some bacon grease into skillet and add in your sausage links. I just hold the links over the pan and squeeze out the sausage to remove it from it's casing. Once browned, remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening with a fork. Add the buttermilk, adding a little at a time, stirring until fully incorporated.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Roll out dough with a rolling pin starting from the middle, moving outwards, creating a circle that should measure out to a 1/2 inch thick. Cut biscuits using a 2 inch biscuit cutter.

Place your biscuits into a well greased cast iron skillet. Brush the tops with melted butter. Bake for 14-15 minutes...or until slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and brush the tops AGAIN with more melted butter.

How to make the Gravy:

Heat the bacon grease in a cast iron skillet. Add some butter(optional). Add in the flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly, add in the milk and bring to a small rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low to let simmer and stir it until it thickens up to desired consistency. If its too thick for you, add more milk...just start with 1 1/2 cups and gradually add more as you go along. Season with 2 pinches of sugar plus salt and pepper to taste.

This dish is sooooo bad for you...that I only allow myself to make it ONCE a YEAR! LOL. How I prepare it in the video is how my husband loves to eat it. Personally, I like to split the biscuits in half as soon as they come out the oven, and then DRENCH it in some honey...okay not some....A LOT OF HONEY, honey!! :)

Watch and see how I make this hearty and most satisfying dish at home!!

Chow fun/pad see ew/seafood meeh kathang

2011-08-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

This dish was always my favorite growing up in Tacoma. There used to be this restaurant, down the street from me on Portland Ave. called Monorom. They served this delicious little seafood delight that I would order every week. I literally, spent any money that I ever had, eating there! I know that a lot of people would argue with me and say that the dish itself was just OKAY, and you're probably right, but maybe because the way I would completely DRENCH it in two different types of hot sauces, is what made it soooo finger lickin' good!!
Anywho, here is my version of this dish and I hope you guys enjoy it just as much I do. I'm sorry I don't have an exact ingredient listing, but maybe later on, I will try to put one together. In the meantime, just watch the dang video.

Happy watching...and happy eating.

-Love Sav

You will need:

shrimp
shrimp balls
fresh calamari
chinese broccoli(or broccoli)
green onion
bean sprouts(This is optional. I didn't have any at the time but add these when you are frying up the noodles at the end, if using)
extra virgin olive oil
msg(optional)
sugar
white pepper
oyster sauce
fish sauce
garlic

For the marinade for the fresh noodles, you will need:

oyster sauce
fish sauce
dark sweet soy sauce
sugar
chinese rice wine
chili flakes
sesame oil

*Watch the video to see how I prepare this dish at home!! Thanks for stopping by!! :)

How to make fresh rice noodles/ho fun

2011-08-15T02:01:00.000-07:00

To make the noodles you will need:

2/3 cup of wheat flour
1/2 cup of rice powder
1/3 cup of tapioca starch
1/4 cup of potato starch
1/4 tsp of salt plus a pinch
1+ 2/3 cup of water

Combine all the ingredients above and mix well, leaving no lumps before steaming.

You will also need:

Some kind of steamer(get creative, if you don't want to purchase one)
A non stick pan(or two)
A pastry brush
Vegetable oil

Use a wire whisk to blend, making sure there are no lumps. And please remember to give the mixture a quick whisk EACH TIME, before adding to hot, non stick pan in steamer.

*I was able to purchase all of the different types of flour/starch at H Mart(A Korean store). Your best bet is to find a good Asian market for a one stop, shopping trip.

Notes: This batch makes a little more than 1 pound of fresh noodles. Makes about 3-4 servings. If you are doubling the recipe, please make sure to fry your noodles into batches to prevent overcooking. If you like your noodles to be thinner, feel free to steam the mixture using 1/2 cup instead of 2/3 of a cup, for each layer. If using 1/2 cup, your noodles will cook faster, so please keep an eye on them. I recommend, two layers per batch but do more at your own risk. For optimum results, do one layer at a a time, allowing each layer to cool for a few minutes before removing onto cutting board, wipe the non stick pan clean again...and put it back into the steamer to repeat process.

How to make fresh rice noodle...and also how I prepare it at home, will be posted on my youtube channel by this weekend!

2011-08-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

Fruit filled spongecake

2011-08-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

For the cake:

8 eggs separated plus 2 more egg whites(8 egg yolks plus 10 egg whites total)
*separate eggs when they are cold and then bring them to room temp.*
1 cup plus 2 T. of cake flour
1 cup of caster sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
3/4 tsp of cream of tartar
2 T of orange juice(no pulp and not from concentrate) plus 3/4 T. of water(basically,this mixture should equal 1/4 of a cup)
1/2 cup of vegetable oil(no substitutions)
2 UNGREASED aluminum layer cake pans OR 1 UNGREASED(2 piece) aluminum tube pan

For the whipped cream frosting and filling

1/2 cup of hot water
1 packet of gelatin
3 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 T. plus 2 tsp of vanilla extract
2/3 to 1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar(you control how sweet)
If you are having trouble with the gelatin you can simply leave the gelatin along w/ the water out of the recipe. Any standard whipped cream frosting will work to fill and frost the cake with!
*REVISED*
So I've been making this cake A LOT lately and would like to share with you guys that I've finally discovered what that whipped cream frosting was that the bakeries use--it's called PASTRY PRIDE!! This is what I use now to fill and frost my cakes with!!

It's non dairy and ready to whip!! No need to add any additional flavorings, like vanilla extract or powdered sugar. There's also another one called "Frosting Pride" which is slightly thicker and sweeter but if you're looking for the "frosting" that tastes like whipped cream, than the Pastry Pride in the red box is the way to go. You can purchase these items at a Smart and Final store, Cash and Carry, and Costco sells them online although I'm unsure if they sell it in store. So, if you can find and purchase the Pastry Pride or Frosting Pride...I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU DO!

For the simple syrup:

1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of water

*If you are baking this spongecake in an angel food cake tube pan, follow the same directions as stated in my video, except place batter in your tube pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

First separate your egg yolks from egg whites while they are cold and bring them to room temp. I know there's some debate on whether or not it's safe to leave them out overnight, but I do anyways. :) Do the same with the orange juice.

Take your hot water and pour in one packet of gelatin mixture. Stir until all the crystals have dissolved and then add in 1 1/2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream. Mix to combine and then put in fridge just long enough so that it has slightly chilled! In the video I stated for 20-30 min. but that was wrong...I honestly don't know what I was thinking! LOL. It's really for a couple minutes, cause if you leave it for too long you will end up with jello.

Once chilled pour the mixture into your chilled bowl and pour in 2 more cups of heavy whipping cream. I have a shield that I can attach to my mixture so that it won't splash all over the place, but if your bowl isn't large enough or you don't have a shield, whip up 2 cups at a time to avoid a nasty mess. Just before your whipping cream starts to thicken, add in your vanilla extract and powdered sugar. I don't like it too sweet so you can adjust accordingly to your taste. Once done, put in fridge until ready to use.

Pour 1 cup of sugar into food processor and let it run for 30 seconds to create a fine granulated sugar. Set aside.

Take your cake flour and salt and sift over a large piece of parchment paper. Then, lift the parchment paper and pour it back into a sieve fitted over a large mixing bowl and sift again. Continue process 3 more times! Set aside.

Mix your oil/water/vanilla extract and orange juice together in a small bowl or measuring cup. This mixture should come up to just under 1 cup! Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat your egg yolks with the caster sugar until it's pale yellow. Thick ribbon like streaks should be falling off of the beater back into your bowl. Set aside.

Beat your egg whites until foamy. Add in your cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks. Switch to a balloon wire whisk and whisk by hand until stiff peaks.

Take your reserved oil mixture, give it a little stir, and then add it into your EGG YOLKS MIXTURE. Once mixed in, whisk in your flour mixture, a little at a time. Once thats fully incorporated, take a clean wire whisk and CAREFULLY fold in a little bit of your beaten egg whites and continue this with the rest of the egg whites. Work quickly and use as little strokes as possible. It's okay if you see tiny streaks of white. Don't waste too much time on that.

Pour into UNGREASED layer cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Once done, remove and invert cakes upside down to cool down on 2 racks fitted over two colanders.

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, boil 1/2 of water with 1/2 of sugar until it reduces to about half. It will start to thicken up slightly and it will change color. Pour mixture into a bowl over an ice bath and stir until thickened like syrup. The longer you leave it on there, the thicker it will get. Once to your liking, remove from ice bath and set in fridge until ready to use.

Chop up some fruit and divide them equally amongst 3 bowls and add in your reserved whipping cream into each bowl. Remember to leave a good amount for frosting the tops and sides of your cake!!

Once your cakes have cooled, take a serrated knife and cut into each one. Take your fruit filling and begin to assemble your cakes, one layer at a time. Frost the tops and sides and decorate with fresh fruit/berries of your choice. Drizzle tops with the simple syrup. Place in fridge until ready to indulge! Happy Eating!!

NOTES:

I would highly recommend that you try the spongecake on it's own first before you attempt this cake. I actually prefer to eat this cake plain, with absolutely no other toppings, whatsoever! I like more cake then whipped cream, so if you wish, you may up the amt. of heavy whipping cream(just remember to adjust the amt. of powdered sugar/vanilla too). Remember, you have to use an ALUMINUM pan/angel food cake tube pan for this recipe. This spongecake contains no baking powder, so the batter needs something to cling on to while it's baking to help give it more height. If you use a non stick pan, your spongecake will not rise as much while baking. Once baking has complete, run a knife around the sides of pan, and also in the center of the pan to remove your cake.

Please watch my tutorial to learn how I make this very popular cake that is sold at most Asian bakeries!!

Cream puffs

2011-07-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

For the creme puff shells:

A stainless steel pot(do not use non stick)
1 cup of water
1 cup of pre-sifted all purpose flour
1/2 a cup of butter flavored shortening that has been cubed
1/4 tsp plus a pinch of salt
1/2 T. of sugar
4 extra large eggs

For the filling:

*Revised*
I just noticed that the filling recipe I had here needed to be doubled so if it looks slightly different then how you remembered it, that's because it is! Sorry!!

2 boxes of INSTANT french vanilla pudding(not vanilla buddy, FRENCH VANILLA) mixed with 3 cups of cold whole milk

1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tsp of good vanilla extract
1/2 T to 1 T. of powdered sugar(you may omit the extra powdered sugar altogether, if you'd like)

Things you will need for piping and filling the shells are:

Tip #12(made by Wilton) to pipe the shells onto baking sheet
Tip #22(also made by Wilton) to fill the shells
2 Disposable piping bags(they come in packages of 12, 24, or 100 at Amazon.com,Michael's or some grocery stores)
A large baking sheet
Reynolds parchment paper
Paper towels for easy clean up

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a bowl mix 3 cups of cold whole milk with 2 packages of FRENCH vanilla pudding. Beat for 2 minutes. In another bowl(preferably chilled) or using your stand mixer, beat your heavy whipping cream until soft peaks. Add in your powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold your french vanilla pudding in with your whipping cream and refrigerate for later use. It's best to make your filling the night before.

Measure out your 1 cup of flour and set aside. Place cubed shortening ,salt, sugar, and water in pot and bring to a quick rolling boil. Dump in your flour ALL AT ONCE. Turn off heat and continue to stir until dough starts to form a ball. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before next step.

Beat in your eggs one at a time, making sure each one is nicely incorporated before adding in the next. Once all of your eggs are in the dough, continue to beat the dough for a good couple of minutes. When you lift the beater, the dough should stream down nicely(but not too fast) into your bowl, leaving a so called "V" shape at the end of the beater.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Place a small amount of dough on all four corners of the parchment paper to keep it from sliding around.

Place your dough in a disposable pastry bad fitted with Wilton's #12 tip. Pipe your shells using a circular motion, giving them height as you swirl up. Space your shells at least 1 inch apart from each other.

Bake in your preheated 425 degree oven for 14-15 minutes and then... DROP THE TEMP DOWN TO 350 DEGREES for another 14-15 minutes!! DO NOT OPEN YOUR OVEN DOORS FOR ANY REASON!!!

Once shells are done, remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool before filling.

Take your paring knife and pierce the sides of the shells to allow for easy filling. If you are right handed, pierce the right side of each shell so you don't forget where you have pierced a whole in each one. Take another disposable bag and fit it with Witlon tip #22. Add in your COLD filling into the piping bag and begin to fill each shell. LESS IS MORE!! Have a clean dish towel or paper towels handy just in case it get's messy. Wipe the tip often for a cleaner fill. And try not to lick any filling off of the creme puff or your fingers during this time. It really isn't sanitary if you plan on feeding others. :)

Total baking time: 28-30 minutes.

Please visit my new channel on youtube to learn how I make these delicious mini cream puffs!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/EatNowCryLater

Phase 1

2011-06-24T14:07:00.001-07:00

Going to attempt to film part 1 of "How to make cream puffs" for my Youtube cooking channel. This is sooo weird...and also kind of embarrassing. Lol.

Asian Beef Stew

2011-06-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

My beef stew is literally FINGER LICKIN' GOOD!!

MakeIt.SmellIt.TasteIt.LoveIt.

ENOUGH SAID.

You will need:

2 pounds of beef shank
1/2 pound of tendon
a couple of carrots cut into large chunks(maybe 1/2 pound to 1 pd)
1 stalk of lemongrass trimmed, bruised, and cut in half
4 cloves of chopped garlic
half of an onion(chopped)
2 tomatoes(I used tomatoes still on the vine)
2 cups of coconut juice/soda(no pulp)
2 T of ketchup
2 cubes of Bo Kho Seasoning
1/2 T of sugar
1 tsp of salt
1/4 cup of fish sauce
8 cups of water
olive oil

For the red food coloring:

1 T of annatto seeds cooked on very low heat in extra virgin olive oil(you may omit this step and use paprika instead)

Serving suggestions:

Thick Rice Noodles(follow cooking directions according to packaging)
Over Rice
Freshly baked french bread

Garnishes:

cilantro
parsley
chili peppers

Clean and rinse off your beef shanks. Cut your beef shanks into large pieces(about 1 1/2 inches wide). Beef shanks are really tough so you need to boil it for some time to help make it more tender.

Put your beef shank and tendon into a pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium to medium high heat and continue to keep at a rolling boil for 1-1 1/2 hrs. Make sure to keep enough water in the pot to cover the meat and tendon, so you may need to add more water while it's boiling away.

While the meats cooking chop up your garlic and onion and set aside.

Chop up your tomatoes and place them in a bowl. Starting with clean hands(of course)start squeezing and smashing the sh*t out of them! You want to bring all that juice out of them but don't throw it away. Later, you will add in the tomatoes along with their juices into the soup.

After the 1 1/2 hrs, turn the heat off , remove the tendon and cut into medium size chunks and set aside along with the beef shanks.

On medium-medium high heat, put some oil into a skillet and throw in your chopped onions and bruised lemongrass. After 2 minutes or so, add in your beef shank and just before completely browned, throw in your chopped garlic.

Once meat has browned, add in the coconut juice. Add in the tomatoes in their juices, ketchup, salt, and sugar. Continue to cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes.

Add in your tendon, large chunks of carrot, 8 cups of water, fish sauce, and the bo kho seasoning cubes. Turn the heat up just to bring it to a quick rolling boil and turn heat down again to medium low. Put a lid on it but do not cover completely. Leave a little space so that the steam has somewhere to escape.

Continue to cook for an additional 2-2 1/2 hrs until the meat and tendon are deliciously tender and finger licking good, baby!! Remove bruised lemongrass once cooking is complete.

Taste for additional seasonings if needed. I ended up adding a tad bit more salt to mine but that's just my own personal preference.

Notes: This stew tastes great spooned over some thick rice noodles, with rice, or some freshly baked french bread too! The possibilities are endless with this tasty dish. Usually, when my mother in law buys this stew from a Vietnamese deli, they tend to be more on the sweeter side, so if you want, you may omit the sugar at first and then gradually add some in as you go along.
Also you can find bo kho seasoning boxes in most Asian markets. The ones I buy, come in these tiny small packaged boxes that contain 4 cubes of bo kho seasoning. If I had to guess, I would probably say that I used anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 T of the seasoning.
Okay, so enough reading already...GET YOUR LAZY ASS UP, log off of Facebook, and get crackin' in that kitchen!! :)