Sweet Yam

Sweet Yam Casserole - a common dish on a Thanksgiving dinner table.

There are many ways to prepare this. Some add orange & coconut, some add curry powder or cumin. For me, the following recipe is my favorite.

Serve 4-6 people

2 big sweet yam or 4 medium ones
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup apple sauce (I made my own)
Handful of raw pecans

It's very easy to make.

1. Peel sweet yam and cut into 1 inch thick pieces.
2. Prepare a pot of water with a pinch of salt.
3. Put the cut yams into the pot. Boil till yam is soft. (Test by poking a folk through it)
4. Scoop it out into a casserole dish.
5. Add 1/2 cup butter (you can melt it ahead of time or cut into small pieces and add in while yam is still hot.
6. Add maple syrup.
7. Add apple sauce.
8. Mash it.
9. Put in pecan and mix.
10. Bake in over at 375 for 10 mins.

Enjoy!

Seafood Spaghetti

Last night I made a scrumptious dinner for my better half. I wanted something quick and delicious. So this is it.

Half pack of spaghetti (use 100% somanila or gluten free if you can find)
3Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3Tbsp unsalted butter
4-5 cloves of garlic
2 lobsters (remove shell)
8 big scallops
2 cans of clams (keep the juice)
1/3 c sun dried tomato
1/4 c fresh parsley
zest & juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper


Start cooking spaghetti in separate pot. You want it only 80% done.

1) Melt butter in a pan then add garlic
2) Add scallops. Cook till 70% done.
3) Add lobster meat (can replace with shrimps)
4) Pour in clams and calm juice, let it boil
5) Add white wine
6) Add spaghetti, let it absorb the juice
7) Add sun-dried tomato, parsley, zest, lemon juice, salt & pepper
8) Drizzle EVOO

Ta-da! Ready to impress.
Serve with salad on the side.

Blueberry muffins

I have made blueberry muffins for years using different recipes. Now I can say this is my #1 favorite.


1/2 cup butter (soften)
1/2 cup sugar (already reduced). Original recipe called for 1 cup.

2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 T vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
2.5 cup blueberry (fresh one preferred. If you use the frozen ones, it will stain your muffins and it won't look so nice).

Topping:
1 T sugar
1 tsp nutmeg powder

Method: (I made this using a whisk but you can use handheld mixer)
For each step below you need to mix them using whisk before putting the next one.
1. Cream butter & sugar
2.  Add large eggs , one at a time.
3. Add baking powder
4. Add vanilla extract
5. Add salt

Now you have all the liquid mixture.
6. Add milk (half of it first), mix
7. Add flour (half of it first), mix gently
8. Pour remainder of milk and flour, mix.

As always, your mix need to be be very gentle or else you will end up with a hard muffin.

9. Pour in blueberry.
10. Scope out and put in muffin pans (12 regular muffins)
11. In a separate bowl, mix your topping - sugar & nutmeg powder.
12. Sprinkle on top of the muffins.

Walla, now put in the oven at 375F for 10-15mins. (As always you will need to preheat your oven for 10 mins before putting in your muffins)

Easy Pizza Dough

It has been a while since I write this blog. Yes, I have been cooking and eating - gaining weight and losing weight. Life is good.

Here is a very easy to make pizza dough. I have tried and it worked.

3.5 to 4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope of yeast
2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1.5 cup water at 110F
2.5 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

This is so easy.
1. Mix all your dry ingredients using KitchenAid, dough hook.
2. While mixer is running, add in your water and olive oil both at the same time.

Now go clean up your kitchen, it takes about 10 mins for me.
Come back and check the dough. If it forms a dimple when you press in, it is good.
If too dry, add water. If too wet, add flour. Simple!

Grease a bowl with oil, put your dough in it, cover with Cling wrap, and let it rise to double the size.

Divide into 2 pieces. Each piece makes one pizza crust.

If you are not using it immediately, wrap it and put straight in the freezer. Hear me, freezer! Do not put in the fridge. If you do, the dough will continue rise even though you wrap it tightly with Cling wrap. I once put the dough in the fridge overnight and the next day I was greeted by this overflow dough creature when I open the fridge.

Here you go, pizza dough!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This is my 2nd attempt, this time I like the taste a lot better so I decided to write down this recipe. It's pretty easy to make. You need to prepare the topping & the batter separately.

Prepare the topping:
Melt light brown sugar & butter in medium heat until it bubbles, pour into 9" round cake tin. Oh, don't forget to line the tin with parchment paper first. Neatly put the pineapple on top, dress it with maraschino cherry if you like. It'll add to the beauty of your topping.

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (this is already reduced from the original 3/4 cup)
• 4 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, slice to about 1/2 cm thick or 1 can of slice pineapple, drained. 
• Maraschino cherry (optional)

Prepare the batter
Mix all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt

• 1.5 cup self rising flour (or all purpose flour is fine too)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt.

Break 2 eggs, separate egg white from yolks. Use handheld mixer, beat egg white with cream of tartar (I skip cream of tartar 'cos I don't have) until it form a soft peak, put aside

• 2 extra large/jumbo egg white
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Use handheld mixer, beat egg yolks, butter, and sugar

• 2 extra large/jumbo egg yolks
• 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick, room temperature)
• 1/3 cup of fine sugar (This is already reduced from the original 1 cup)

Pour the mixed dry ingredients in 3 batches into the egg yolk mixture. Alternate with milk.

• Mixed dry ingredients prepared earlier (use in 3 batches)
• 1/2 cup of milk (use in 3 batches)

Once they are well mixed, stir in the egg white prepared earlier. Gently mixed - you can use #1 in your handheld mixer to do this. Do not over mix!

Ready to bake
Now, your batter is ready.  Pour that into the cake tin. Bake in 350F (175C) for 30-40 mins. Do not use Spring Foam.

When the cake is done, take it out, let it cool a little. Cover the top with a plate, turn the cake tin over it. Walla! You have a Pineapple Upside Down cake.

This cake is best when warm. Keep left over in the fridge and microwave it before you serve.

Cherry Pie

Crust Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour (I mixed 1 c wheat 1c white)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup ice cold water

Filling Ingredients:
1 bottle of Trader Joe's Morello Cherry (approx 1 lb 9 oz)
3/4 cup sugar
1 small lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 t all spice
1/4t cinammon
1/4t almond extract
1 Tbsp brandy
4 Tbsp Tapioca

Prepare Crust:
Mix flour and salt
Put in blender
Add oil & water
Blend until it is well mixed
Take out and form dough
Roll it out thinly, and gentle place in a pie mold

Prepare Filling:
Drain Mortello Cherry
Take1/2cup of the juice, add sugar, add tapioca, add spices, almond extract, brandy
Boil in medium heat until tapioca are clear and the mixture is thick (but not lumpy)
- If the mixture is too thin, mix 1/4c juice with corn flour and add to the mixture
- If the mixture is too thick, add juice

Ready to bake:
Drain the cherry by batch, place them on the 8" or 10" pie mold
Pour the filling 'gravy' over it
Use remaining flour to make strip and form a lettice design on top
Bake at 425F for 30 mins

Carrot Cake

I had a very nice carrot cake recipe when I was in college but I can't find them any more. I had since tried many recipes but none turned out as I like it to be. Today, I looked up a few recipes and came out with my own version. I think I am getting closer to the carrot cake recipe that I like - moist, flavorful, and light.

 

4 large eggs
1 cup of oil (I use 3/4 melted butter, 1/4 canoloa oil)
1 cup sugar (already reduced)
2 cups all purpose flour
3 cups carrot
1 cup crushed pineapple (from Dole), squeeze out the juice
1/4 cup raisin (I used only 1/8 cup 'cos I ran out)
1/4 cup dry shredded coconut
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda

 

Frosting:
8 oz light cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup powder sugar
1 cup chopped pecan

 

Prepare the cake batter
1. Combine egg, sugar, oil, vanilla and mix well.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.
3. Pour flour mixture to egg mixture by batch, lightly mix.
4. Add carrot, pineapple, raisin, shredded coconut by batch into the mixture.
5. Pour in a 9x13 inch pan.

 

Bake 350F for 40 mins. Insert tooth pick in the cake, it should come out clean.

 

While baking, prepare the topping.
1. Mix cream cheese, butter, and powder sugar together.
2. When cake is done, and while still hot. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top.
3. Sprinkle with pecans.

 

Let it cool before serving.

Chia Bread

Chia bread isn't commonly found here in the Bay Area so I decided I should bake my own. I read several recipes and came out with my own combination, and it worked... Bread is moist, nicely shape, and last up to a week.

3 cups Flour
1/2 cup Oats
1 cup water
1.5 tsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup Chia seeds
1 pkg of yeast (approx 2 and 1/4 tsp)
1-2 Tbsp honey

I often prefer to bake my bread in oven than in the bread machine.

1. Pour hot water on chia seeds until it just covers the top for 20 mins or until it forms the gel.
2. Disolve honey in warm water, add yeast. Let it sit for 10 mins until it bubbles
3. Mix flour, oats, salt in  a separate bowl
4. Spoon chia seeds into the flour mixture
5. Add yeast mixture into the flour mixture
6. Add oil into the flour mixture
7. Mix then knead in low spead for 7 mins (I use Kitchenaid). It should form a ball shape and is elastic.
8. Cover the ball with moist warm towel, let it proof for 30 mins
9. Punch down
10. Form the shape or put in tins,
11. Cover in moist warm towel and let it rise for the second time, approx 15 mins

Bake 375F for 30 - 35 mins..

Cinammon rolls

I combined multiple recipes to create this one. Turned out very nice. It's a keeper!

For the dough:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup margarine, softened
(Heat milk to boil, add magarine to melt, set aside till luke warm)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (total need 3 1/4 c, but leave the rest - see step 2)
1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
(hand mix all)

(Add the following into the dry ingredients)
1/4 cup water
1 egg
Milk mixture from above


For the filling:
3Tbsp cinnamon
3Tbsp brown sugar
1Tbsp flour
1/2 cup of butter
(hand mix them)
 
For the icing:
2 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened, approximately 1/4 cup

3 tablespoons milk
5 1/2 ounces powdered sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

Direction
1.Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

2.In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
3.Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together "the filling".

4.Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with margarine/sugar mixture. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in 12 lightly greased muffin cups. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

5. While the rolls are cooling slightly, make the icing by whisking the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Spread over the rolls and serve immediately.
Note - no need to reduce sugar. Not too sweet.