Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts

Mille-Feuille Bakery: Macaron Class


The teacher explaining that you can make varies sizes of Macarons

Over the weekend I took a Macaron Class at Mille-Feuille Bakery, it's one of those baking classes that was offering through Groupon.  I wanted to do something and give myself some time from taking care of my baby girl.  I enjoy baking whenever I have the time and I love whipping up stuff in my kitchen.  I like to try to experiment new things whenever I have the chance to.  The class was very fun and informative, you get to demonstrate on how to make your own perfect macarons. The instructions very easy to follow. The flavors that we made was Vanilla, Chocolate and Pistachios. For 2 hours class it was worth making 25 macarons and enjoying at home leisurely. Hopefully whenever I have the time in the future I would like to try to make my own macarons in my own kitchen...


Have you try making Macarons before and how did it turn out? 

MILLE-FEUILLE BAKERY • 552 LAGUARDIA PL • NEW YORK, NY • 10012

Cook Book: Maangchi's Real Korean Cooking


I was beyond thrill when receiving this book and I can't wait to look through the recipes.  There are times I tend enjoy cooking a meal at home rather than going out to eat.  This helps me not to over eat and also watch out my portion control.  I try to emphasize on my diet control here on my blog a lot, because it's a good way to remind me to try to stay healthier and eating healthier.  Recently I decided to make Korean Fried Chicken for my family and friends.  We have a tendency to order Korean Fried Chicken when we go out to eat, but it can get pretty expensive. Instead I decided to make my own version of it.  I normally don't always fried stuff, I only fried stuff for special occasions.  My outcome of my Korean Fried Chicken came out pretty well and my family and friends really enjoyed.  I hope to make more Korean dishes in the long run and reading Maangchi's book is a great way to start for me. 


What kind of new recipes you would like to try? 

Disclosure:  I'm not affiliated with this book company, this book was purchased on own 

Rose Shaped Apple Tarts


There are some occasion I like to bake for no reasons.  Baking for me is like a detox just to give myself some time to do what I enjoy.  Recently there's been a video that has been circulating on facebook - Rose Shaped Apple Tarts.  After watching it and seeing how simple it is I decided to try it out.  I got the proper ingredients, but as far as for taste I wasn't to thrill with it.  I think it doesn't have a lot of flavors since I opted the cinnamon out.  Since it's a practice, I now know what to incorporate in it next time.  I wish I could have took step to step pics on making this. This makes a good holiday treat or any special occasions as well.

Ingredients to make 6 roses:
• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed - I got the pepperidge farm puff pastry
• 2 red organic apples
• half lemon, juice
• 1 tablespoon of flour, to sprinkle the counter
• 3 tablespoons of apricot preserve
• cinnamon (optional)
• powder sugar for decorating (optional)

Good Luck in the kitchen!

Strawberry Cupcakes


Ever since I moved to a new and bigger place, I've been cooking more.  I always enjoy baking sweets and my oldest one loves to help me bake as well.  Her cousins and my oldest wanted to bake, so I let them bake Strawberry Cupcakes.  I decided to make it very simple without too much prepping.



Here is the main ingredients: 
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking power
3 eggs room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped strawberries
12 whole small strawberries to set aside

For Frosting:
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
3 tbsp (45 ml) confectioners sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla

Method
Preheat oven to 350F (175 C) degrees.
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.
Mix together eggs, sugar, butter, water and vanilla.
Then slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients just until combined, being careful not to over mix! (or your cupcakes will be tough)
Toss chopped strawberries with 1 tsp of lemon zest, and set aside.
Spoon batter into muffins cups 1/3 of the way, then add 1 tbsp of chopped strawberries on top, then top with more batter until 2/3 of the way full.
Bake for 15 mins. It's done when a toothpick comes out clean. If using the Simply Baked cups it may take up to 20 mins for them to be completely baked since the cupcakes end up being more tightly compacted then a regular muffin tin.
Allow to cool completely.

For Frosting:
For the frosting, combine cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whip on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a round rosette of frosting, and top with a whole strawberry. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Best eaten the day they are made.

Hope you enjoy and happy cooking!

Korean Dish called Tteokgalbi 떡갈비




I made a Korean Dish called Tteokgalbi 떡갈비.  There are times I like to incorporate different types of food from all over the world.  I like to try new cook new dishes and youtube has been a good source of place where I can learn how to cook different type of cuisines.   My favorite subscriber that I like to watch is Maangchi, her food tutorials are very simple and easy to follow.  I hope you'll do the same too, give it a try and you will have some amazing dishes of your own.  

 Here's the recipe for Tteokgalbi 떡갈비:
  • 1 pound beef short ribs (4 meaty ribs)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 5 cloves of peeled garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup worth minced onion and 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon rice syrup (or sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 large bulb green onions (optional), washed
 For garnish (optional):

 

Directions

  1. Rinse the beef ribs in cold water to remove any blood or bone fragments. Strain and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place the ribs on the cutting board, bone side down. Take a sharp kitchen knife and cut the meat on each rib into small pieces, scoring, pounding with the knife and mincing. Try to keep as much meat attached to the bone as you can. Anything that comes off, put back on the bone as you mince.
  3. Shape the meat on the bone into a rectangle, bone down. Place the ribs into an oven safe pan or grill.
  4. Combine soy sauce, garlic, onion, rice syrup, honey, and sesame oil in a bowl. Chop up the light green part of a green onion (keep the green part for a garnish later), add it to the bowl, and mix well.
  5. Spoon some onions and garlic from the sauce and massage it into each rib. Mix it in well with your fingers so it marinates. Keep some of the liquid of the sauce for later, but use all the garlic and onions in it.
  6. If you like to grill green onions, mix them with a few drops of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Place them in a pan.
  7. Preheat the oven, setting to broiler for 5 minutes.
  8. Place the tteokgalbi and green onion in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes.
  9.  Remove them from the oven and pour out the rendered fat and oil. Add the rest of the sauce and cook for a few minutes over high heat, scooping the sauce on the bottom overtop of the tteokgalbi. Turn it over and cook for a few more minutes until thoroughly cooked.
  10. Garnish with chopped green onion, sesame seeds, and shredded red pepper. Serve right away.
Here's the video https://youtu.be/1CNdHgGB1Tc 

Hope you enjoy and happy cooking! 

Apple Pie Recipe


I really like the fall time because I can start baking again.  I love the warm oven air that fills my home with apple and cinnamon scent.  This is first time making an Apple Pie. I love how the pie crust get golden brown and the chopped apples get soften.  Here’s my masterpiece, it’s simple and I tried to be extra creative by adding a heart in the center of the pie.
 
Here’s the recipe:

Apple Pie Recipe  

For 1 pie, diameter 18cm] apples : 2 sugar : 20g lemon juice : a little cinnamon [optional] : a little egg [to “glue” the pie] : 1 frozen pie sheets [store bought] : 3 pieces
  1. remove the pie sheets from the refrigerator and defrost
  2. remove skin from the apple
  3. slice the apple in slices around 5 mm thick
  4. to prevent the apples from changing color, soak them in salt water
  5. put the apples, sugar, cinnamon in a pan and turn on the heat, keep frying until the apples become translucent in color
  6. add lemon juice to adjust the acidity
  7. move the apples from the pan to a bowl and let them cool down
  8. add flour [not included in ingredients] and roll the three pie sheets to around 2-3mm thick
  9. put the pie sheet into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill
  10. cut the pie sheet into a round shape hint : using a knife would make the pie crust to collapse, so use a pie cutter instead :D
  11. cut out 1 cm strips from the remaining two pie sheets
  12. put the apples on the pie sheet
  13. spread some of the egg mixture around the pie sheet
  14. weave a checker patten on top of the apples with the strips
  15. cut off the bits that are sticking out
  16. put more of the egg mixture around the base of the pie
  17. stack up more of the pie sheets
  18. stack up more pie sheets around the base of the pie
  19. cover the entire surface of the pie with the egg mixture
  20. preheat the oven to 200 °C and bake the pie for 30 minutes

Good luck in the kitchen!

Pork Belly and Half Boil Egg


There are days that I enjoy cooking at home because it’s comforting and it’s money saving.  You can make this Ramen noodle and save yourself $15.00 from going to a Ramen noodle bar.  Mine is pretty plain and simple to make, takes at least 20 – 25 minutes to make. Here’s the direction on making this scrumptious noodle dish:

Ingredients: 
  • 1/2  of Pork Belly – normally when you buy Pork Belly it comes in 3 strips. 3 strips can last a couple of meals.
  • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
  • 1 egg
  • Ramen noodle – I like the Korean kind called Nongshim Shin Noodle Ramyun

Direction:
  • Defrost the Pork belly for 10 – 15 mins.  I like to cut my pork belly thinly by 2 x2 squares while still slightly frozen.
  • Marinate the Pork Belly one tablespoon of soy sauce and one tablespoon of sesame oil and mix it together.
  • Boil hot water in a pot until boiling and add in an egg.  Cook the egg for 6 minutes and you will have an half boil egg.
  • In another pot boil water until it’s boiling add in your Ramen noodle packet.
  • In a pan add a bit of oil and start adding in the Pork Belly.  Fry the pork belly until nicely crispy golden brown.

Hope you enjoy this and good luck in the kitchen!

Pesto Chicken Breast Pasta

I try to cut down on my carb, but personally I can't live without rice or noodles.  I try to transition not eating rice or pasta every day.  I try to incorporate a bit of pasta and more vegetables in my diet.  This only took 10 minutes prepping.  I brought a whole chicken the other day from super market and this makes a great leftovers.


I then made fresh pesto sauce and boil some thin spaghetti.


How to make Fresh Pesto sauce 
  • 1 cup of Basil 
  • 1 cup of toasted pine nuts 
  • 1/2 of Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 cloves of garlic 
  • 1/2 cup of oil 
  • pitch of salt and pepper 
I normally eyeball everything together, then I start shredding the chicken breast and toss into the skillet with some pesto sauce and add in the pasta.  Very easy and light dinner.  
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