Young Mommy's Journey

Asian sweet buns - bánh mì ngọt

2013-11-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

I've got a few requests recently from friends and since i have nothing to do at this moment , i decide to go back here and sharing how to make Asian sweet buns .

heres the original link i followed :

http://www.instructables.com/id/Asian-Sweet-Bread-Hong-Kong-Pai-Bao-Hokkaido-Mil/step2/Making-the-Tangzhong/

after a few trials and errors and modification , i just got one for myself because its quick and simple just to fit my lazy cooking style :-D

First , try to gather all the ingredients at once

And here we need :

3/4 cup milk + 1/2 stick butter : put in microwave for 1 minute

add 2 1/2 tps active yeast + 1 tsp sugar : mix well and wait 5 mins to activate the yeast

in the mixing bowl using flat hook , add : 2 cups bread flour + pinch of salt + 2 T sugar ( add more sugar if you prefer ) : mix at speed 1 for 1 min

add 4 eggs , one at a time , then turn mixer at highest speed for 3 mins . The batter is runny at this point .

Use the timer to not over mix

Change to dough hook , add 2 1/2 - 3 cups bread flour , mix at speed 4 for a good 7 mins until the dough is no longer sticky , smooth and elastic

Let dough rise in warm place for 90 mins or doubled in size .

i toss mine in the oven and here it is after 90 mins

then deflate the dough and divide into 16 equal balls

shape or stuff the balls as needed , then let balls rise again for another 90 mins in warm place

here it is , double in size again after 90 mins

Now its time to have some fun , i let little one in charge and gosh she is so excited :)

Egg wash : 1 egg yolk + 2 tsps water

Bake @ 375F for 15-20 mins , cover the top with aluminum foil if it gets too brown

These are great after-school- snacks for the little one

" mommy can i have 1 more please ? "

She loves and can it every.single.morning with cream cheese or peanut butter .

the bread is just soft, fluffy and slightly chewy. I store it at room temperature for 2 days then put it in the fridge for up to a week , microwave 30 seconds and it tastes as good as it's out of the oven :)

Hope it helps . Happy baking :)

Mooncakes in October

2013-11-09T14:46:00.001-08:00

Cuối cùng thì sau 1 thời gian dài bị treo mỏ vì lượng đường cao hơn mức cho phép , mẹ đã hoàn thành tốt nhiệm vụ ăn uống khoa học và bs đả cho phép mẹ có thễ quay vè vói việc làm bánh trái có đường :) khõi phãi nói Adele vui như nào khi biết sẽ được trỡ vè vói cái ...lò nướng . Khi mẹ hỏi Adele và dad muốn làm bánh gì đây , cã 2 cùng đồnh thanh " moon cakes " !!! Mậc dù mùa trung thu đã qua từ lâu rồi , nhưng 2 cha con vẫn không thể quên , chác là họ thèm lắm đây , nhưng vì phải kiêng theo mẹ nên chẳng ai dám ...đòi ăn :) Thế là sẵn đồ đạc có sẵn trong nhà vì mẹ đã chuẫn bị sẳn sàng lâu lám rồi , trứng muối cũng ở nhà muối luôn vì sợ hàng....chái nà ...Cả nhà lên lịch làm bánh ngay lập tức và khỏi nói , Adele thật là háo hức !

Chủ nhật sau khi dinner xong thì bắt tay vô làm , như thường lệ mẹ vẫn theo công thức đơn giãn nhất mà làm , cũng như năm ngoái , mẹ cắt giãm những nguyên liệu không cần thiết , mặc dù biết thiếu nó thì bánh sẽ không mềm mại , nhưng Dad nói mẹ không phải đang ăn 1 mình nữa hihihi , cho nên nhửng gì không cần thiết là làm từ China thì phải ....giục . Thế là Dad thẵng tay... quăng chai nước tro tàu mói toanh chưa khui , và lọ kẹo mạch nha vô....thùng rác .Trong bụng mẹ củng mặc kệ, năm ngoái bánh mẹ và Adele làm ra cũng mềm sau 3 4 ngày làm mà , thế là cã nhà bắt tay vô làm ngay không thôi muộn rồi ...

Lại thêm cái tội lười biếng mang máy chụp hình chụp , cứ cái phone cùi mẹ chụp cho nhanh nên hình ảnh xấu và mờ quá chừng , thôi kệ , mình share cho vui thôi mà ..

Như thông thường , Adele vẫn luôn là nguoi đóng vai trò...quan trọng , lúc này Adele đang giúp mẹ trộn hỗn hợp nước đường + dầu ăn ...năm nay cô nàng cũng đả biết ...giải trí nghe nhạc trong khi ....làm việc căng thẳng hehehe

Sau đó thì mẹ phụ trách phần nhồi bánh , và Daddy lo cho bánh vô khuôn và ..ịn , công nhận làm nhanh thiệt vì có nguoi phụ , bàn tay thô cứng của Daddy củng khéo ra phét , đây là kết quã :

Vì qua trung thu lâu rồi nên cũng chẳng làm cho ai , thành ra mẹ chỉ làm công thức ít , cho ra đũ 8 cái nhõ và 2 con heo cho Adele :)

Sau khi nướng 20 phút , bánh chín , nhưng phãi chờ đến vài hôm sau mói được ăn , Adele không chịu nỗi đớp luôn ...2 con heo nóng hổi

Và điệu đàng khoe mẹ còn ...phần mông con heo chuổn bị cho hết vô miệng ....

Thế là xong , ket thúc lúc gần 12 giò đêm sau khi Dad help dọn bãi chiến trường và rửa đồ đạc ..

Dad không quên nhìn trầm ngâm máy cái bánh và và tự hỏi " sao mình củng có thể nặn ra những chiec bánh như vậy đuộc nhĩ ? " hehhehe ... good job Daddy :)

Sau khi chờ 3 ngày cho bánh mềm đề ăn thì từ 8 cái còn có ....3 thôi , vì ai cũng chịu không nỗi và đớp từ từ haha . Bánh không ngọt gắt và ít dầu nên đở ngán , ăn 1 lúc 1/2 cái cũng không sao :)

Happy ...very late the Moon festival 2013 :)

Im a happy Vitamixer :)

2012-12-10T17:24:00.002-08:00

I am not a big smoothie person, but I was motivated by my constant efforts to get more greens into my body and my kid. Green smoothies sounded like a great way to do this painlessly. I have wanted a Vitamix blender for a few years now ,however, I just couldn't see myself parting with the $500 to get one. However, after watching the demo at Costco, and then tasting the spinach smoothie .... red cabbage ice cream , I was sold. And I'm not disappointed. I would have bought it a long time ago if I knew how great it was.

A lot of people complain about the Vitamix being a little too high to store under the counter but its not a problem in my kitchen :) The cleaning part is very simple , you put some hot soapy water in the container and blend, and then rinse .

I dont like eating veggies and have never wanted to eat kale or pears or fresh cranberries ......and i can't just believe that im eating them everyday

I no longer juiced oranges . The white pithy part of oranges contains lots of vitamins and important nutrient with antioxidant and anticancer properties while juicing extracts water and nutrients and discards all the fiber . It's recommended that women eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day to decrease the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as some types of cancer including breast cancer.
Fiber is aslo filling , without fiber in the juice , you will be hungry again quickly .This explains why i started eating less but still feel full longer , great !!! ;-) its just exactly what i need for my healthy diet *wink*wink*

I love my smoothies thick and smooth (like jamba juice) Thanks to the vitamix , we are now enjoying healthy smoothies at anytime we want .
Look at how i throw all sorts of things in there:honeydew ,pineapple ,pear ,orange, kale, spinach, chopped walnut , 10-grain power , chia seeds , dried dates , fresh cranberries , grapes ...lots of things that we can hardly finish them all within ... a few days

But now they all go into our bodies easily everyday , I can't say enough good things about this baby

I hope this helped and happy Blending :)

Homemade Christmas dress for little girl

2012-12-03T21:06:00.002-08:00

I can't just believe it's been a month i had not checked my page , lots of things happened last month but im glad they turned out great after all . Today , a day after mom flew back home , house still feels so quiet and empty , me and little one decided to do something fun together ,so we cleaned up , folded the clothes , reorganized the closet and i just realized there were so many clothes that we had not had a chance to wear ... Just like moms out there , i have also made lots of mistakes of buying clothes online and felt regretted ... so , when Adele asked if i can make her a few more dresses , i thought it's just perfect to recycle those unused clothes and give them some brand new looks :)

So , i took out the looooong black dress i bought at 21 a few years ago , still i did not understand why i bought it :) i think it was ..super cheap lol , anyway , now i like it because its plenty of fabric that can make enough a dress for little one , and ...another skirt for ...mommy haha

I also pulled out Adele's 18 month dress that she quickly outgrew very longggg time ago ...these 2 colors are just perfect for this holy season . My little girl already has lots of dresses but it never seems to be enough , so when i told her i would make another dress , she just right away turned off her favorite Sponge bath channel , ran to get the sewing machine and helped me set up the work station ..There the fun went on ...

the little red dress was cut in half , i kept the half top , cut the half bottom into 2 sleeves , wanted to make long sleeves but there was not enough fabric

and tada ...2 hours gone by quick with lots of fun

the front :

And as usual , she could hardy wait to put it on ...its just what i imaged how it would turn out . It's a little long so she can wear her leggings underneath to keep her warm :)

She was just having so much fun with the " new dress " and the tree ....

Silly face melted my heart :)

finally .......there is a smile ...

oh ...and another fake one ....

Bed time ! I'll update with a few more dresses later .

Review on the Hann steam mop

2012-10-14T22:54:00.003-07:00

I am so so so excited to share with you one of my favorite household items that i just purchased 3 months ago . It was actually a recommendation of the sister in law who had visited us and boy i can't thank her enough for it . Even though my house is a shoes free zone but having an active toddler and 2 little chihuahua dogs means vacuuming and mopping constantly since i can't stand the thought of having her crawling around and laying down on dirty floors . Oh boy this machine truly saves my backache and i just wondered how i had not heard about it that long ...Now i never want to go back to the traditional way : mop and water bucket . Look back at the $10 mop i have used for 6 years and how happy i am to say goodbye lol

And here's my back saver . I bought it at Kolh's . It's very light , looking great and doing a nice job cleaning and keeping the floors shiny and i love it when it cleans without using any chemicals . My house has 3 different type of floorings : hardwood , tiles and carpet and this baby does it all . Its very simple to use : fill the water , turn on the unit , wait for a minute for the water to be steamed and off to glider across the floors ...now having to cleaning the floors twice a week is not a problem at all :)

Haan Select Sanitizing Steam Mop (Google Affiliate Ad)

I love the way it leaves no streaks on the hardwood floors , it dries up too quick that sometime i got to touch the floors to see if it was actually working lol

The water tank looks small but i still have some water left after cleaning 1000 sfq living space

And yes , like any mop ,you need to sweep first . I vacuum before using this machine and my floors feel clean and look great . Im so happy with this machine and hope it lasts :)

Banh Bao - Vietnamese steamed buns

2012-10-14T18:26:00.001-07:00

Ingredients :

1 bag mixed flour to make 8 buns - ( i prefer any brand made in the us )

Milk , mushroom , sausage , yellow onion , green onion ,

1 lb Ground Pork ,1 lb Shrimp ,4 Eggs

making dough :
1 cup milk + 1/2 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon vinegar : stir well

In a large bowl , mix flour and milk for 5 minutes or until soft dough

Hand knead for 5 more minutes , let the dough rest for another 1 hour to double in size .

Making filling while the dough is rising
Boiled eggs : cut each in half
Sausage : half finely minced , half thinly sliced
Mushroom , yellow onion , green onion , finely chopped
In a large bowl ,ground pork + shrimp + mushroom + green + yellow onion + minced sausage + some black pepper + sugar + 1 teaspoon sesame oil + 1 tablespoon soy sauce : mix well
Adjust the taste of the mixture by microwaving some meat . Add salt if needed

here's how i make the meatballs : 1 scoop of meat - 1 pc egg - 1 scoop of meat , 2 pc. sausage on top

Note : 1 bag of flour makes only 8 big buns so divide the dough into 8 equal pieces .

I used more flour to make 10 buns so there i cut it into10 pieces

Microwave the meatballs for about 3 minutes . This helps the ba'nh not to be soggy after steam

roll dough ball flat but not too thin , place a meatball in the center , making pleats in dough and twisting tight to seal it .

When water boils , pour 1/3 cup of vinegar to the boiling water , placing the buns in the steamer a few inches apart , steam for 15 minutes .

you can make a bunch of these ahead , steam ,plastic wrap and freeze . They make great breakfast treats .

And if you're vegetarian , just eliminate the meat and shrimp and use all of your favorite veggies to make healthy vegetarian steamed buns . Happy cooking :)

Vietnamese grilled pork chops -suon nuong .

2012-10-05T10:16:00.002-07:00

This is one of the famous dishes on the menu at most Vietnamese restaurants , usually served with broken rice , lettuce,cucumber , daikon and carrot pickles and some mixed fish sauce . We sometime serve it with vermicelli and lots of veggies or sandwich for a quick breakfast . Whatever it goes with , it always makes a great dish . My recipe is always this simple :

6 thin sliced pork chops

1 teaspoon lemongrass (the store bought minced lemongrass can be found in any Asian market in the frozen section )

3 shallots + 3 cloves garlic finely minced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 teaspoons honey

4 teaspoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cooking wine

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl .

Make sure the entire meat is evenly coated , let it rest overnight or at least 8-10 hours

preheat oven or the gas BBQ to 400F , grill 3 minutes each side or longer depending on the size and the thickness of your meat .

Here's my breakfast - a great combination of grilled pork chop , sunny-side up egg ,some steamed rice , a small bowl of soup and mixed fish sauce .

Happy cooking :)

Kitchen gadgets

2012-10-04T00:01:00.002-07:00

Today i'd like to share with some of you who might have wondered what kinds and how many kitchen gadgets there are in my kitchen . Here's a list of some of them that i use on a regular basis and would recommend .

1: http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KFP750OB-700-Watt-12-Cup-Processor/dp/B0002MH3OC/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1349323042&sr=1-2&keywords=kitchenaid+12+cup+food+processor

i had wanted to have this baby looooong time ago , but i just bought it after Adele hit a year old with a purpose of making her homemade food and now i want tell you how much i wish to have it sooner . I've been using it very often , i use it to to make vietnamese white ham -cha lua , ground pork paste -gio song ...and dough too....i absolutely loveeeeeeeeee it !

2 : Kitchenaid Professional 600 Stand Mixer (Google Affiliate Ad)
i bought this one at amazon when they had rebate and cash back program and it was on sale for a really good price so i bought it , yes, because it was on sale ! I do believe a hand mixer is good enough to do the job ( and yes i had one too but handed it down to my mom ) but i think its nicer to let this one do the job while cleaning up or drinking a cup of water :) I used to bake a lot but stopped after having Adele and recently just resumed this hobby because Adele gets to the age that she loves being around the kitchen to help and to explore my tools and showing a lot of interest in playing with the flour . So now we get to use it more often than before .

3 : Hamilton Beach 33966 Set n Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker (Google Affiliate Ad)

I spent $50 on amazon to bring this baby home . Its such a nice addition to my collection and i like the fact that i can just throw everything in there and let it cook through the night and my meal is ready by the next morning . I use it mainly for chicken broth , beef stew , or simmering the herb like ginseng and it becomes really handy especially when I'm tired and sick .

I like it and think its worth my money .

4 : Jack Lalannes Power Juicer Express (Google Affiliate Ad)
This baby is my first juicer ever . i think its 6 years old and so far so good . It is powerful ,easy to clean , running quiet and juicing most of fruits and veggies , but its pretty big , heavy and take quite a lot of room on my counter so i store it in the cabinet all the time . Why store bought juice when you can make fresh juice everyday and for the price , I highly recommend this product .

5:http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_011W707945110001P?sid=KDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=31-38237029-2
Uhm...i have this one for a few years and always feel like its a waste of money . It looks really nice and functions just as well as the others , but we just don't use it everyday like we estimated . Its been stored in the cabinet all the time and is still shiny . The only good thing i feel good about it that is it was bought on sale . I paid less than 20 bucks for it when its original price is around $40 dollars .

6:Black & Decker TRO480BS Toaster Oven / Broiler (Google Affiliate Ad)
This baby is nothing fancy , its just a basic portable appliance , looks great on my counter , matches with my kitchen and does a really nice job , it toasts evenly . I have it for a few years and been using it almost every day for almost everything , like reheating / cooking a small fish , meat , toast , bagels ......and for its price under $25 , i believe i made a good pick .

7:http://www.foodsaver.com/product.aspx?pid=8793
I have this one more than a year and i'm not surprised to see this one is one of the top sellers . After throwing a lot of frozen foods due to freezer burn , we wanted to invest to something that can help extend the lifetime of the foods , keep the leftovers longer and prevent freezer burn and this is it . It takes up very little room and looks beautiful on my counter . Though i have to buy the bags and they're pricey , but the machine still saves me a lot of money because there's no more wasted foods . We're able to freeze lots of fresh salmon from last season enough for 6 months .This is also a great way to package of home prepared foods for camping as well :)
I can't live without it !

8 : http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/cooks%25e2%2584%25a2-5-in-1-rocket-power-blender/prod.jump?ppId=1b38c49&searchTerm=cooks+blender&dimCombo=null&dimComboVal=null&catId=SearchResults

I bought this small blender at jcpeney when it was on sale and thought i should give it a try and wow , it does a really nice job for the price and fits my need . I like the fact that you can use the blender jars as tumblers to drink from ,and for $20 it comes with 2 big cups and 2 blades and a small cup - a perfect size for my little one . I have the set for more than a year and its working just fine and makes great smoothies , if the cups were glass , I'd definitely buy it again and again .

9:http://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-72500RY-2-Cup-Chopper/dp/B00006IUX0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349322736&sr=8-1&keywords=proctor+silex+food+chopper
I'm so excited to introduce you this baby food chopper .Its a must have in my kitchen . I bought it on sale at BiMart for under $10 bucks and gosh , this one is built to last . I gave the 5 year old one to Goodwill just because it was old and i wanted a new one . It helps chop and mince veggies , fruits , herbs , cheese . .. .. .and many many more in no time .

10: http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-830-WafflePro-Waffle/dp/B00004RKG0/ref=pd_sbs_hg_1

i didn't plan on getting this one but it was on sale ( again ) for a good price and i couldn't resist myself lol i dont use this one often , maybe once a month and it makes great waffles evenly in a heat beat .

Banh Pateso - Pate Chaud

2012-09-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

My husband is one of those who can't live without breakfast and i once made this recipe for a change , it immediately becomes one of his favorites . I know it because he called and thanked me after having it and oh ...that makes me feel flattered .

And again ,this recipe is real simple , its puff pastry filled with meat , and yes , you can use any kind of meat you want : chicken , turkey , beef , pork ...or even crab meat ..and mix it with any veggies you like . This time im using ground pork that i have left from the freezer :)

Ingredients :

Ground pork

Sesame sauce

Garlic powder , ground black pepper

Oyster sauce

Chopped yellow onion

Pork Pate ( optional )

Mix the filling :

Store bought Pastry Sheets

Thaw pastry sheets for about 10-20 minutes or as labeled on the box
You can cut the sheets in anyway you like .

Because there's yellow onion in the mixture that tends to leak lots of juices that would make the pastry soggy , So , i microwaved the filling for about 3 minutes and let it cool a little bit before scooping some onto the sheet
You can see that i was able to stuff quite a lot by cutting the sheet this way

Brush a little bit of egg white around the edges and just fold it in half , use the fork to seal the edges together

To dress up the cakes : mix 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water + 1 teaspoon sesame oil : Lightly brush the egg wash on top

And these smaller sized cakes make great after-school snack for my baby :-)

I make a bunch of these and store them in the freezer , bake them from frozen for a picnic or quick snack or great appetizers

Preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown . Serve warm or room temperature

Thanks for reading and happy cooking :)

Banh deo - Snow skin Moon Cakes

2012-09-25T23:23:00.001-07:00

I couldn't even remember the last time i celebrated this festival . I've seen my mom making a lot of moon cakes when i was little but never thought of making ones myself until this year . This year ,i wanted to do something to introduce my daughter one of a very special traditional events for kids in September that i really loved when i was little -the Autumn festival , and making the non baked cakes seemed to be a good idea .

These are not like the baked traditional ones .The outer skin is soft ,sticky and a bit chewy and since its made from cooked wheat starch and cooking syrup , it tastes very sweet and sure that makes very special treats for my little one .
I got to move the work from the counter to the floor to make it easier for Adele to play with the dough , here you can see how much she got crazy about being a part of the team :)

The fillings i made were green tea , taro and.....fresh durian ... aaarrrggg ... i hate its strong smell but hubby is the opposite , he is so fond of it :-~ so with a mask on , i made it !

I used 1 bag of cooked flour mixing with 5 1/2 cups cooking syrup ( i made my own syrup using organic sugar + water + 2 teaspoons lemon juice ) to make about ...20 of 200gr sized cakes ! Had i known it turned out that many , i would have made only half of the flour ..

Finally , we had a chance to use all the cake molds that my mom bought looooong time ago . I bet she would be happy to know .
Take 100gr of a dough and roll it flat , put 100gr of filling right in the middle and gently wrap around it . Press it into the mold by using your fingers and gently remove it ...

tada....look at my little cake . She looks pretty impressed herself ;-)

and my 1st time cakes , aren't they lovely ? I put a little bit food color just enough to identify different fillings insides , yellow for durian , green for green tea and very light pink ( Adele's pick ) for taro paste .

It turned out not too bad for a first attempt . I'm happy at least we dared to venture into using our hands to make them and the great thing about the homemade ones that you know what's in there : less sugar , no preservatives or " weird stuff " added like the store bought ones . Unlike the baked ones , these can be done in a shorter amount of time , you'd surprise how fun and easy it is to put together , especially when working with your loved ones .

Happy Moon Festival ,everyone :)

Banh' chuoi' hap' - Steamed Banana Cake

2012-09-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Just a few bucks for bananas and there we have a very quick and healthy dessert that everyone in the family loves .

I can't just believe how much she loves being with me in the kitchen and so far , she's never turned me down

Here's how she tries to show off her work :)

" how much sugar for these 7 bananas mommy?"
"..about 2 tablespoons , honey "

" So what about flour mommy ? how much do we need ? "
" we need 1 1/2 cups tapioca flour baby "

Then she starts counting , it takes her 30 spoons to finish the flour . There we have a fun time learning numbers and cooking at the same time . I couldn't think of a better way :-)

we have this mixture done within 15 minutes then transfer it to the steamer ...

steam for 50 minutes and its all done , but for my taste , i put it in the oven and broil for another 5 minutes to get the smell of baked bananas ...wow ...the whole house smells so good ;-)

For coconut milk , i like to put a few of pandan leaves in there , mix 1 can coconut + 1/2 cup water + a few spoons sugars and a bit salt , thicken with a little bit of the mixture of tapioca +water

Wait until the cake reaches room temperature to cut . Serve with coconut milk and roasted peanuts .

Asian baked Salmon

2012-09-17T16:15:00.001-07:00

Adele is a very picky eater . She doesn't like eating fish , but grilled/baked salmon is a the only one that makes her come back for more :)

Wash ,pat the salmon dry with paper towels ,and place it on aluminum oil . Sprinkle with black pepper and garlic powder .

In a small bowl , 2 tablespoon soy sauce + 1 tablespoon honey + 1 tablespoon Korean BBQ + 1 tablespoon non-spicy sate ( use spicy one if you wanna turn up the heat ) stir well until everything dissolved

Refrigerate for a few hours at least

Preheat oven to 375F , bake uncovered salmon for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily
Served with rice or vermicelli rice noodle like my bowl in the picture , or making rolls by using rice papers wrapped with veggies and rice noodle , dipped in fish sauce like my husband's ( not pictured )

Happy cooking :)

Just another blessing Sunday .

2012-09-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

Since Adele got upgraded with a new bike at her 4th birthday , biking had become a daily routine after our dinner . Im glad to see that she is growing up each day and getting just like her dad , an outdoor lover .

Today , instead of biking to the playground as usual , Adele was the only one who pedaled , and 2 of us walking her down to a small lake that is about half of a mile from our house .

we couldn't even believe this is fall ...Oh how I love this kind of weather , sunny in the daytime and it gets chilly in the evening and its such a perfect day for walking

Its a very small , slow and quiet town that we're happy we landed here ,and that we thank God every day for a simple , peaceful life ...

... today , Adele learnt her big lesson : biking down the hill . It was enough for my daughter to say she was a little nervous

There was no one but us ,,,,we felt this is all ours :)

Here we comes to the lake ...
Huhmmm.. i was really disappointed to review the pictures i took . I wonder how come they didn't turn out as good as i expected . Maybe ...a big drop few days ago caused this ? Looks like i really need to get a new camera soon :-P hehehe

After 15 minutes of a quick break here , it was time to walk back home ...

Honestly , I started feeling tired at this moment , but wow ...look at the little one, she was still energetic ...such a tough cookie !

We touched the front door at 8:30pm . Did we really spend an hour and half !!! Time is sure gone fast with lots of fun talking and laughing along the way that i hardly spend 30 minutes of running on my elliptical at home
Such a great way to exercise and have a good bond with my loved ones . Now I hope this weather to stay with us forever :)

Crispy belly pork

2012-09-12T12:17:00.001-07:00

Homemade Roasted /Crispy Belly Pork ? Are you crazy ? I know a lot of people would think that way when it comes to making this recipe . To be honest , if you live close enough to buy it in the stores in a few minutes , then don't bother , but for us , who rather staying home and drooling , than spending 2 hour back and forth drive to the store to get it , this recipe is definitely a must try. After browsing a few websites on the internet and a few trials , i came up with my own method to get a nice result within a little time and now im happy to say that we can have it anytime we crave for it :)

As always , the ingredients are always this simple :

Soy sauce , powder garlic , pure sesame sauce , sugar and five-spices

Feel free to increase the quantity of meat in this recipe or adjust the seasonings to taste

Preparation :

Boil water in a large pot , 1 teaspoon salt , cook the meat for 15 minutes

Rinse and dry the meat very well with paper towels .

Use tweezers to pull out stray hair on the pork belly skin, if any.

Use a knife to scrap the skin for a few minutes to remove impurities.

Make diagonal cuts with the tip of a sharp knife on the surface of the skin

In a small bowl , combine : a few tablespoons soy sauce , a little bit sugar , a little bit sesame sauce , powder garlic and 1 teaspoon 5-spice powder , mix well

Rub this marinated sauce all over the meat portion only. If sauce gets on the skin , make sure to rub it off with a paper towel .
Place pork belly on a plate, uncovered, skin side up like in the picture , leave it overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350F , cover the pork with foil , bake for 30-40 minutes .

Take the pork out , by this time, the skin gets softened . Use a bamboo skewer,or a small knife ,poke as many holes as you can on the portion of the skin , dry the skin with paper towel , and rub another 2 tbsp salt all over the skin

Switch oven to Broil , High level ,broil until the skin is roasted to crispy perfection.

Important :

- You have to monitor the progress of the skin in getting crispy by looking thru the window of the oven . Mine took about 15-30 minutes , it depends on the size

- When you see some liquid fat building up on the skin, use paper towels to dab it to make the skin dry . The dryer the skin , the more crispy it gets

- Don't panic to see the skin is burnt and charred, it means it's cooked all the way through and becomes dry and crispy . Use a steak knife to scrap off charred areas from the skin .

- Allow the meat to rest for about 15 minutes before cutting.

Cleaning tip :

- Put double layers of foil at the bottom of the oven. After cooking , just removed the foil . No fuss in cleaning up... hehehe

and there you have a very crispy pork yum yummmm

It is actually quite easy to make and costs a fraction of what you pay in the store . Not only know the freshness of the pork , you can make sure the pureness of all the ingredients in there and its part of the reasons why this homemade version becomes one of our often- to- do food lists . Some people think it's fatty , i think its not the recipe but the pork you're buying :)

Happy cooking :)

Homemade dresses for little one

2012-09-12T10:15:00.001-07:00

Adele wished for dresses for her 4th bday and i decided to

make some by my own hands . ...

i found it a good way to keep her entertained and teach her

to sew at young age ..

Let's take a look at how we did it together ...

4 bucks for the fabric at Joann , to make a skirt and a dress

ooh la la ...only 1/2 way done and she got really excited :)

Momma i love them :)

tada ....my work paid off = her priceless smile :)

This fabric was originally bought for myself but i no longer wanted it ...

So here's another dress for little one

I have to say ....im pretty impressed myself to see how nice the dress looks on her

It right away becomes one of her favorite dresses . " You rock Momma "

Get in style with this vintage dress , one of the hottest trends for this spring and summer :)

Ohh how i love the way it makes little one look like an angel ...

Again , that smile just melt my heart ....

board and batten project

2012-09-12T10:12:00.002-07:00

It’s a fantastic way to add architectural interest to your home and a project any homeowner can tackle. Board and batten adds clean lines, breaks up bare walls, and complements many styles of modern homes...

So I decided to do something "fun" for the house before summer hits lol , and as always , I got Adele involved and you can see how serious she was into it :)

The before :

And the after : love it !

Dining room before :

And the after : love how bright it changed the light in the room

The fireplace before :

In the progress :

and tada .....dont you love the new change ?

new facelift of a hearth : beadboard wallpaper : quickest way to get a great transform

Living room before :

and the after :

PlayHouse

2012-09-12T10:11:00.001-07:00

Playhouse:

We noticed that Adele always gravitated toward the playhouses whenever we went to the playground . And like most other parents , we enjoy spoiling and giving the kids gifts that we know they will love and use it for a long time . So , Dad thought of gifting a playhouse would be a great treat for her 4th birthday ,and ofcourse ,this made little one super excited .

After browsing many stores and the websites , we opted for a wooden playhouse, as we wanted to get the best quality outdoor toy that could last .However ,we could hardly find one within our budget . Most run from $500-$2500 , with luxury models between $4,500 -$7,000

Like this little one 6x6 at Walmart being sold for almost 1.5k

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Cedar-Shed-Cabin-Cedar-Playhouse/17355845

Or this lovely one we so much adore costs $3,349 at Homedepot

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100399632/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=wooden+playhouse&storeId=10051#.UEkLR42PVlo

I even checked Costco , one of our favorite stores that usually has great stuff with great prices , but not this time , we like the price but the size :(

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11761296&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|50126|4060|58252&N=4047209&Mo=5&pos=2&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=58252&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC11007-Cat4060&topnav=

So, with a little bit experience of carpentry ,and Adele's birthday is still 2 months far away , we decided to make one ourselves . I spent a few days searching for images ,ideas, the materials and checking with the city for the permit and yayyy...no permit needed for our size 6x12 .

OK, now lets have a quick tour to see how thing has been done :)

Day 1 : cleaning up the area and loading down the lumber ( No picture taken )

Day 2: Hubby laying the foundation , the most important step to keep the house level . It took us a whole day working in the heat . Pheww , a lot of hard work , but notice there's one happily singing and running around :)

Day 3: Frame work . It starts coming together and its time for little one to come help out . She could hardly wait for this :)

LOL Hubby wasn't really happy with the heat .

Day 4: Constructing the roof ....

Day 5, 6 : Completing the walls , putting up the windows and making the front door ....

Day 7,8 ,9 ,10 ....:LOL

We estimated to be done within 8 weekends , way before her birthday , but with the heat ,holidays and summer activities , it took us longer than that but the unfinished project didn't make her birthday less fun .
So far , It's 98% complete . We still need to install a small window above the front door ( Special order does take time :) i'll get it updated later

Update : Tada ...the finished product . Do you notice any difference ?

Adele and i had a fun time creating the inside .It's filled with lots of natural bright light , fresh air and my homemade curtain gives it a cute princess look ,that is what Adele was dreaming for .

Childhood is a time of fun and active imagination and having a playhouse is a great way to add to the fun and help a child's imagination grow ... Im glad to see my daughter using it almost everyday .

and now ...we're proud that we can fulfill a little girl's dream...Happy 4th birthday little girl . Mommy and Daddy love you .

Interested to know the total cost ? Check back for the break down numbers coming soon :)

vietnamese yogurt

2012-09-12T10:09:00.004-07:00

Vietnamese yogurt

I've been making yogurt very frequently lately due to high demand of hubby and the little one . Adele loves it so much that she asks for yogurt the 1st thing in the morning instead of the milk lol and as always , i love making something that is good for their health , and indeed , yogurt is one the quick and easy nutritious snacks for people of all ages .
A couple of things i love about homemade yogurt are : it tastes better , there's no preservatives and the cost is less expensive :)
This non-fail recipe only takes me about 10 minutes of preparation .

2 cans condensed milk + 2 cans of boiling water + 4 cans of milk + 1 big can Nancy's nonfat yogurt : mix well

Use the jars or anything you like to fill the mixture , i use plastic bags to avoid cleaning afterwards :)

Preheat the oven to 170F and turn off , place them in the oven and let them rest in there over night

Adele could hardly wait when i take them out the next morning . She eats immediately with fresh fruits - a healthiest breakfast ever !

Banh canh cha tom,cua

2012-09-12T10:09:00.002-07:00

Banh canh cha tom,cua
( vietnamese noodle soup with crab and shrimp cake )

only 5 minutes later LOL

Vietnamese Udon-Banh Canh

2012-09-12T10:08:00.002-07:00

Banh canh- homemade vietnamese udon

1 bag tapioca starch
1 bag rice flour
Boiling water

In a large bowl , mix tapioca starch + rice flour + a little bit of salt + 1 little bit cooking oil
Adding more tapioca flour makes the noodle more chewy , i use the 1: 1 ratio to get the texture my husband prefers
I use the Martha's Potato Ricer , bought at Macy's many years ago and with alot of use the stainless steel is still sparkling , money well spent :)

the potato ricer comes with 3 different sizes of the attachments .

Slowly add boiling water into large bowl to create a soft dough . I let Adele play with it after it gets cooler

Adele " it smells good , tastes good mommy "

Place a small dough in the potato ricer and press it downward a boiling pot

The dough was quickly done within 15 minutes

and Adele eats the fresh noodles right away

$2 bucks for the flour and 30 minutes of cooking , there you have enough noodles to eat for 2 whole days :)

Making Banh Canh with Hands

everything is the same as making with the potato ricer but this way is a little bit different that is using a knife to cut the noodle . When a soft dough created , let it rest for 5 minutes and start rolling it flat ,cut into thin long stripes , sprinkle a little bit tapioca flour to separate the noddle and prevent the stickiness

Make a big batch and plastic wrap the leftovers and store in the fridge for up to a week or a few months in the freezer .

And you can have the fresh noddle straight from your fridge :)

BBQ Chicken/Wings

2012-09-12T10:07:00.004-07:00

BBQ chicken and wings :

You can easily find lots of recipes for this BBQ chicken , one of the most popular foods to do in the summer . As being a full time mom , i always try to find the most simple ,easy to use recipes to fit my crazy schedules with the little one . And so far , BBQ chicken becomes one of my favorite dishes to do for the picnic and lots of family, friends events .To those who requested for the recipe , I will try to update the step by step instruction next time i make it . In the mean time ,take a quick look at these 4 of very surprisingly simple ingredients i use

Begin with any kind of chicken you like ( I personally like legs and wings) rinse and dry with paper towels . Put them in a large bowl , evenly season with Mrs Dash and McCormick Grill Mates seasoning .

In a small bowl , add a few table spoons of honey + oyster sauce , mix well , pour it into large bowl , you need the sauce enough to slightly coat the chicken . Leave overnight .

for the gas grill that i use : Take chicken out and let it cool to room temp , preheat the grill to 300F , place chicken on grill , cook until done . Brush chicken with sauce during last 5 minutes of cooking

for the oven : preheat 350 F , cook until done

i can't live without this grill :

Labor Day 2012

2012-09-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Isn't it nice to have a long weekend to celebrate before fall comes . No more yard work or shopping this year , we headed to visit The McKenzie River and to enjoy the nature . The weather treated us nice , warm during the day and a bit cold at night . Overall , everything was great !

Day 1 : 10am: ready -set -go

On the way to Belknap , it was a beautiful drive ......

After a quick lunch, Adele felt asleep ....

3 1/2 hours gone by quick with lots of fun conversations ...and here comes the place

Belknap Hot Springs is a beautiful place . One of many other things i liked about this place is being soaked in the natural mineral hot springs . Ohhhh how i missed this place ....Thanks Connie for a great recommendation .

a corner of the garden

Front entrance

Right after the check-in , Tim and Adele were ready to explore ....

Our camp spot in the evening :)

The hot springs emerge from a small cave . You can even boil eggs in here . They are piped into swimming pools and the temperature gets a bit cooler

viewing the McKenzie River from the footbridge

This way leads to the garden and the campground ..

Day 2 : Sister's family and their friends came join the fun

Yep , loading all the stuff down by using the wheelbarrow ...

It was quite a pain but fun LOL

Kids even felt much better after soaking in the hot springs. They loved it ...

I always love to watch them having fun and getting along

Property viewing from the upper pool

In the afternoon , we decided to experience the rafting adventure - an exciting 14 mile class III whitewater trip . I had to admit i got scared at first but as soon as we paddled a few feet along , i felt it wasn't too bad and started enjoying it ..... Its scenery is lush and green. We see the forest towering over us and in its trees, eagles, ospreys and hawks.

All along the way, we frequently see occupied osprey nests, mom and dad osprey fishing, old bridge abutments of huge moss-covered logs, distinctive covered bridges ....Always, there's the feeling that one is on a great adventure.
( Pictures coming as soon as i received them in the mail)

The hot springs are a fantastic place to soak away anxiety and stress that you may have brought with you from the city. This is such a great place to relax and help us feel much better after a long day of rafting . Couldn't think of a better way to end a productive day :)

Day 3 : GoodBye Belknap . Next stops : Sahalee & Koosah Falls , Clear lake and Detroit Lake

Surprisingly nice weather

Adele and Jayden getting hurry to snack while parents loading up

Located on highway 126 . The fall looks dazzling

Quick picnic lunch on the go ....

Happy kids again right after their stomach filled up ...

The McKenzie River is beautiful! Its water , is so clear and cold

It stretches from it's headwaters at Clear Lake and flows down to Eugene where it merges with the Willamette River on its way to the mighty Columbia River and out to sea

Now lets come to Detroit Late . Its located beautifully in the Cascade mountains , a perfect spot for all types of water sports like fishing , boating , swimming , water skiing ... We already know where to camp at next year ;-)

Great cousin love :)

Adele : Comon' Jayden , those 2 little ducklings are waiting for us ....hehee....

Jayden : I want no duckies
Adele : how about these splashes ? lol

uhm...im all wet ..i need a change

Hey Jayden , Im nice and clean now . You need a change too .

Jayden : Uh oh come play with me

Adele : NOooo , dont get my dress wet

That was it ! Hope everyone had a safe and great long weekend .